What they never told him
by shana852963
Summary: What Dumbeldore and Hagrid and Lupin never told Harry was that he wasn't the only child that Lilly and James had. He has an older sister and a twin sister who were sent to live with James's squib sister.
1. The beginning of it all

A

A.N- yah you know the old copyright jazz, I don't own any of these characters. I mean seriously, if I did, that would make me J.K Rowling, and instead of writing fanfics, I could make a new book!

Oh yes, btw I know James and Lilly are actually younger than I make them out to be in this story, but I had to do it this way or otherwise Lilly would be pregnant at like 13 and I don't want to do that to her, she's awesome.

Reviews please! My first fanfic btw

……………………………………………….

_October 31, 1981 Godric's Hollow_

Lily Potter sat on the couch, watching her 15month old twins, Harry and Melony, jabber at each other in their own language.

Her husband James walked into the room, smiling at the sight of his lovely wife and kids.

"Hi love," he said pecking Lily on the Cheek and he plopped down on the couch next to her. "How was your day?"

"Same as always." She replied, returning James's kiss. "Melony and Harry smeared food over each other and Bridget nearly broke the window flying on her junior Nimbus."

"That's my girl" chuckled James. "Speaking of the flyer-in-training, where is she?"

"Upstairs," said Lily. Then she called up, "Bridget! Your father's home!"

"Daddy!" shouted a nine-year-old girl as she jumped into her dad's arms.

"Hello sweetie." James said. "I hear you had a bit of a flying adventure today! Well done!"

He then caught a glance of his wife's warning eyes and added, "but do be more careful next time darling." He sat back down and pulled out the _Evening Prophet_. Bridget sat down next to the twins and starting playing with them.

"Anything good in the paper dear?" Lily asked, putting her arm around him. "Same rubbish always. The Ministry is trying to make it seem as though they have the foggiest clue what Voldemort and his gang of followers are up to!"

"You know dear, seeing as you work there… aren't you bad-mouthing your self now?"

"Me and Sirius work in the only department that is making any effort in stopping Voldomort! All us Aurors work day in and day out trying to catch murderers, while we have the blasted Minister Rudworth telling everyone Voldomort is soon to be caught!"

"Yes, I know James," sighed Lily. "He's so concerned with keeping his job, he'll feed the press these lies."

"Exactly, did I tell you what the jerk did to Arthur Weasly today? Poor sap is getting his pay cut just because a band of kids set a curse on an old man's walker today to make it zoom around!"

"Well how's that his fault?" questioned Lilly.

"It's not! But apparently Rudworth said Arthur should have somehow foreseen it coming. I mean for Merlin's sake, he got it all sorted out in the end. And do you know where the money he took from Arthur is going to go? Right into his own filthy pocket."

"Oh, that's terrible for the Weasly's." said Lily sadly. "Molly's due to her have her seventh child any day now."

"I know honey," said James gazing upon his own kids. "I know."

The kids were now stacking blocks, or rather Bridget was, and the twins were throwing them at each other, squealing in delight.

"What do you think the two of them are saying to each other?" asked James.

"No clue," said Lily. "But I was talking to Molly this afternoon over the floo, and she told me her twins didn't start talking English until they were two and a half!"

"Are you serious?" exclaimed James in half a laugh. "We're supposed to listen to this gibberish for another whole year! By this time Bridget could already say over 20 words!"

Bridget gleamed up at her dad, for using her as a positive example.

"That's 'cause I'm smart daddy. I already know how to make a forgetful potion!" she said happily.

"That's brilliant Bridget." James told her.

All of the sudden, James got a weird feeling in the pit of his stomach.

"Is everything alright James?" asked Lily.

"Yah sure," said James absent mindedly as he stood up. "I'm just going to get up and check on something outside.

"Okay hurry back," said Lily, turning back to her kids, not aware that this would be the last time she would ever see her husband.

James walked to the door, the feeling still strong as ever in his stomach. He opened the front door, and looked outside and what he was made is skin turn white.

A cloaked figure was standing less than 10 feet away from him. It's snake like red eyes looking up at him.

"LILY HE'S HERE! VOLDEMORT'S HERE! GET THE KIDS AND RUN!" James screamed.

Voldomort merely laughed.

"Going to fight me James? Why you don't even have a wand." He snickered.

He was right. James never brought his wand near the kids. Not since Melony and Harry had gotten a hold of it one time and managed to turn the couch into a giant cockroach.

James had pure fear in his eyes. Not just for his life, but for is family's. He knew he stood no chance with no wand, so there was only one thing to do.

He swung a punch at Voldemrort, but instead of hitting skin and bone, it was as though an invisible hand stopped him.

"Nice try you blood tainting fool. Now you will learn the consequences of trying to stand in the way of Lord Voldemort. Avada Kedava!"

And with a flash of green light, all life left James's body.

Stepping over his latest victim, Voldemort slowly began his way upstairs.

Lily had just hid her three kids in the twin's nursery; disguised as pieces of furniture she transfigured them into. They could still talk and breath and do all the other things humans could do, which at the moment was a bit unfortunate, because the blue table, which was Harry started to cry.

"Oh, Harry" cooed Lily gently as she picked him up. On her contact though, Harry turned back into a baby. "You must be quiet now, please."

It was then that the locked door was blown out of its frame.

"Give me the boy, girl." Said Voldomort in his high cruel voice.

"Never!" shouted Lily, shielding her only son with her body.

"Step aside!'

"NO! Kill me instead!" pleaded Lily.

"It is the boy I desire not you. But if you wish to put up a fight, I will not stop you. Avada Kedava!"

And just as James did, she dropped dead on the spot.

Voldemort walked up to Harry, who had stopped crying and was staring at his mother's lifeless body.

"Yes boy, you will be with her soon. You were destined to kill me, but it is I, who shall kill you. Avada Kedava!"

And the same green light that had killed Lily, James, and so many other great witches and wizards headed for the small, defenseless baby boy. But unlike all those cases, the light now was reflected back onto Voldomort.

"AHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH" screamed Voldemort as he was blown away, leaving only half a human, forced to flee.

"Harry!" shouted Bridget, and Melony began to cry.

They were still disguised as furniture when Sirius came along.

"James! Lilly!" Called Sirius, but his voice fell short when he saw Lily's body, and knew that James, Bridget, and Melony must have suffered the same fate. Crying, he lifted up Harry and rested his head on his shoulder.

"Oh Harry, I guess it's just me and you now huh?" he said sadly as he stared once more at one of his best friends bodies.

"Padfoot! Padfoot over here! Me and Melony are the chairs over here!" called Bridget, who looked like a yellow rocking chair.

"Bloody hell," said Sirius shocked. "You're actually alive! I can't believe this! This is excellent, hang on a moment, I'll turn you back." He took out his wand, set Harry down, and mumbled a spell and the two chairs turned back into Bridget and Melony. Bridget ran straight for her mother's body and burst into tears, while Melony crawled over to where Sirius had set Harry down and started talking to Harry in their own language again. But these were not the same happy, carefree sounds they used before. They were solemn and sad.

Hours later, they heard loud footsteps down stairs.

"HELLO?" boomed a voice that Sirius instantly recognized. "ANYONE 'ERE?"

"Hagrid! Up here Hagrid." Sirius cried out. Seconds later, a large man appeared in the destroyed doorway.

"Sirius, how are you?" asked Hagrid, his eyes full of tears.

"Not good Hagrid," he sighed. "I just can't believe they're really gone."

"I know, me too," Hagrid replied. "But I got me orders from Dumbledore that I gots to take Harry here to live with Lilly's sister and Bridget and Melony with James's sister."

Sirius looked taken back at this.

"Hagrid, you cant be serious. I have to take them. It was my sworn duty to James and Lily that I would take the kids if anything happened to them." He said desperately.

"I know, but I got me orders from Dumbledore," replied Hagrid.

Sirius looked thoughtful for a minute.

"All right, well, here at least take my motorcycle to bring them to where they need to go." He said handing Hagrid a set of keys.

"Yer sure Sirius? I know 'ow much you love this bike." Hagrid asked.

"Yes, I won't be needing it anymore." He than directed his gaze down to the Potters. "Look, I know it's going to be tough, but you must be strong. Bridget, you're starting Hogwarts in two years, promise me you'll try you're hardest."

A teary eyed Bridget nodded. The twins didn't nod, but their eyes told Sirius they understood how important it was to listen to Sirius.

After giving each of the kids a kiss goodbye, and wishing Hagrid luck, he turned and set out, looking up at the sky as the motorcycle flew away with the kids of which he had no idea when see them again.


	2. Meeting Mel

July 29, 1993

_July 29, 1993_

_Marrisa Slaters home._

Melony Potter sat alone on the couch, her feet propped up on the coffee table. Looking around, she saw no one was close by, so she picked up the TV remote and turned the televison on. But the moment the sound came from it, Melony heard her aunt Marrisa call out from upstairs, "Melony Joana Potter! I told you no TV until that room of yours got clean."

Sighing, Melony clicked off the TV and called back up to her aunt, "Yah yah I'm on it aunt Marrisa."

"Thank you dear," came aunt Marrisa's voice again.

Getting up slowly, Melony made her way upstairs to her room. At the top of the stairs though, she ran into her cousin Ally. Ally was a year older than Melony, but atleast 5 inches shorter. She was a bit chubby, but not noticeably. Her long black hair was always put on top of her head in some sort of crazy style.

" Hey Mel," Ally said. "This letter from Bridget came for you."

"Thanks Al," Melony replied, taking the letter. "I wonder what it's about."

"No clue, but hey wanna go practice quidditch? I know we can't actually fly until we get back to school, but we can practice some passing. I learned this amazing fake yesterday!" Ally said excitedly

"Wish I could, but I have to clean my room, or your mom will snap my Commet in half."

"Okay, good luck with that," said Ally ash she went downstairs.

As she watched her cousin go, Melony turned her attention towards the letter from her sister. Bridget had moved to her own place 3 years ago, but she still kept in touch with the family.

She opened the envelope and pulled out a piece of parchment.

_Hey Mel, _

_How are you? I have something really important to tell you. I'll be by on your birthday at around noon. I was thinking I could take you to Hogsmade to get your school things and your presents. _

_See you soon. Say hi to everyone for me._

_Love,_

_Bridget_

Her brain burning with curiosity, Melony wondered what Bridget needed to tell her that she couldn't put in a letter. Rolling up the parchment, she slipped it into her pocket and went into her room.

Any moron could tell that the inhabithant of the room was a teenager. The dresser stood forgotten at the far corner of the room, completely empty, for all of Melony's clothes were thrown around on the floor. She had posters of her favorite bands, both muggle and wizards, on her dark blue walls. At the foot of her unmade bed, a large trunk stood open, its contents streaming out. Quill, spellbooks, and scrap parchment littered the floor around it.

After 2 hours of cleaning, Melony still could partially see her floor, her bed was made, and she was just starting to pack up her trunk. The top of her trunk read, Yetsi's Prepitory School for Young Wizards and Witches in Training. That was the name of Melony's school, of which she had been attending with Ally since she was eleven. She just finished her second year there, but would not be returning for her third.

The first day of the summer holiday, Melony received a letter from a Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry saying that it would be more than happy if she would accept their offer to continue her magical education with them. Melony had heard of this school many times, but knew no one who attended it. According to Bridget though, it was a much better school than Yetsi's.

The thought of leaving her old school seemed amazing to Melony. Even though she was extreamly popular there, she hated the ugly school uniforms that they were forced to wear (which consisted of knee lengh skirts, collar shirts that had to buttoned to the very last button, and long socks with mary jane shoes.) and the insane rules they had, like no boy girl activities or socializing. They put so much emphisis on that, that they had seperate classes for them and even seperate quidditch teams.

She was set to be admitted into Hogwarts the start of the term.

Closing up her trunk, Melony took a bottle of black nail polish from her desk, and slowly painted over the school name on the lid. There was no need for anyone at Hogwarts to know that she had come from such a lame school.

Standing up, she rolled all of the clothes on the floor into a giant ball and threw it in the closet. Looking around at her know "clean" room, she smiled and turned to face her mirror.

She studied her self in the mirror, wondering if she was ready for a school as exciting as Hogwarts.

Melony was very tall for age. She had long legs and arms, which made her an excellent chaser. Her dark hair fell loosely over her skinny shoulders, and her emerald green eyes shined back at her from the mirror.

Glancing next to the mirror, Melony looked at her desk, which was filled with frames containing many pictures.

There were some of her at school, with her friends, some with her and her sister, and some with Ally and Lexi, her other cousin. She had no pictures of her parents though, which often bothered her.

She asked her aunt about her parents ofeten, but she always said the same thing, "My brother and his wife were fine people, some of the finest wizards ever, but they met there end on duty protecting innocent lives, you should be proud."

But before she could ever ask how exactly they died, Aunt Marrisa would hurry out of the room.

It was the same thing with Bridget. She praised mom and dad, saying they died heros, but never said anything more than that.

A soft knock came from the door, and her aunt entered.

"See, your room looks so much better when it's nice and clean, dear," she said. "I just don't know why you can't keep it like this all the time."

Melon shrugged. "Oh by the way, Bridget sent me an owl saying whe was gonna pick me up on my birthday and take me into the village," she told her aunt. "Is that okay?"

"Sure, I just came up to tell you lunch is ready and Sammi's downstairs."

Sammi was Melony's best friend. They met each other even before there days at school.

"Awesome, I'llbe down in a minute." She replied.

Marrisa nooded and left the room.

Melony turned back to the mirror. She took a final glance at herself, and then turned and headed downstairs and into the kitchen.


	3. Draco meets his match

AN- K, in this chapter, I'm finally gonna bring in Harry

AN- K, in this chapter, I'm finally gonna bring in Harry! But I'm gonna make it after Bridget and Melony talk.

Melony headed into the kitchen, and saw her best friend sitting at the table, gobbling down one of Marrisa's famous BLT sandwiches.

Sammi had blonde hair that was always in a ponytail. She only wore skirls when she was required to at school. She was short, but she still intimidated many.

"Hey," she said through a mouthful of bacon as Melony sat down next to her grabbing a sandwich. "Wanna play some gobstones?"

Melony shook her head. "Lexi's using my set,' she answered. "Let's just hang out around here."

"Cool," said Sammi as she grabbed a second sandwich.

Ally and Lexi came into the kitchen. Ally didn't seem all too pleased that Sammi was here. The two had never gotten along well. She grabbed a plate and left to go eat in the living room.

Lexi sat down next to Melony. She was a year younger than Melony and Sammi, and looked nothing like her older sister. She was tall and thin, and had pin straight blonde hair.

"Hey Sammi," she said brightly taking a bite of a sandwich. "How's it going?"

"Good," said Sammi, finishing of her sandwich. She got up a carried her plate to the sink.

"Hey Lexi," said Melony. "Are you done with my gobstones yet?"

"Oh yah," Lexi said. "I forgot to tell you, I traded them to Fay Walters for a bunch of chocolate frog cards I needed."

"Lexi!"

"I'll pay you back, don't worry," Lexi assured her.

Shaking her head, Melony carried her plate to sink.

"Let's go upstairs," she said to Sammi. The two of them left and went into Melony's room.

"Whoa, what happened?" asked Sammi as she looked around at the lack of mess.

"I finally gave in to Aunt Marrisa and cleaned it." Replied Melony sitting down on her bed.

"I still can't believe your going to Hogwarts," said Sammi sadly.

"We'll still see each other," Melony said. "Just not at school."

"It won't be the same," Sammi said sitting down next to Melony. "But still, your soooo lucky. Hogwarts sounds like such a cool school."

"I know! They're supposed to have an effing good quidditch team. Can't wait to try out." Melony said.

"Hey! You know who goes there?" said Sammi suddenly.

"Who?" asked Melony.

"Harry Potter!"

Melony rolled her eyes. "Are you stilled obsessed with him?"

"Oh, shut up!" laughed Sammi. "Hey I wonder if you're related. You have the same last name."

"Come on Sammi," sighed Melony. "We've been over this before. Potter is probably the most common name in the world. The odds of us being related are a million to one."

"I guess," said Sammi, looking disappointed. "Hey, when you meet him, get his autograph for me!"

"No way!" cried Melony. "How lame would I look doing that!?"

"Please?"

"NO!"

"Fine," sighed Sammi, giving up. "You win."

"Good," replied Melony, getting up. "Let's play exploding Snap.

_July 31__st__, 12:00 in the morning._

Melony woke with a start. She had the weirdest dream. First she was flying through the clouds on what appeared to be a humongous motorcycle, but then the scene changed. She was in a house that wasn't hers. Then she saw a little baby boy laying next to her, sleeping. She tried to stand up but realized that she couldn't. Looking at down, she saw her hands were a lot smaller. She then understood that she was a baby. Confused, Melony saw that the other baby had woken up.

"What's going on?" she tried to ask, but only gibberish came out.

But the baby seemed to understand what she was saying. He replied in more gibberish, but Melony somehow knew what he was saying; "Don't worry, I heard mommy coming upstairs."

The scene switched more, but this time, Melony had no clue where she was, she couldn't even see where she was. When she looked down, all she saw was a green chair. But she heard a cold laughing and a woman screaming. Suddenly, the room was filled with green light, and the cold voice yelled in pain.

Melony had no clue what the dream meant. All that she knew was that the cold voice she had herd in the last part of her dream scared the shit out of her.

Looking at the side table next to her, she saw her clock read 12:00 a.m.

_I'm thirteen! _She thought sleepily.

Laying back down, she closed her eyes, but sleep did not come to her. Her mind was full of curiosity about the odd dream.

Deciding that reading might tire her out, Melony picked up the first book from her bookshelf and sat down at her desk.

_A Downfall of Dark Magic_, she read.

She was supposed to have read this book for school last year, but never got around to. She flipped to the table of contents and looked at the listed chapters.

Grinelwald, Demitri the Demented, Lord Friker, He- Who-Must-Not-Be-Named…

Melony's eyes stopped on that name. She knew who that was of course. Lord Voldomort. But since she was a little girl, she was forbidden to say his name. She never understood that at all. Just saying his name wasn't going to make him powerful again. The only person who she knew that said his name was Bridget.

Turning to the chapter about him, Melony began to read.

_He- Who-Must-Not-Be-Named was perhaps the most infamous dark wizard ever. He was responsible for countless of murders, both muggle and wizard. He controlled many, forcing them to do horrible deed, by putting them under the Imperius curse. He met is downfall on October 31, 1981, when the killing curse he attempted to use on one year Harry Potter backfired onto him. It is unknown how exactly this happened. All that is known is that the curse left a lightning shaped scar on Potter's forehead._

Closing the book, Melony suddenly remembered something. Her parents had died on Halloween as well…..

It's a bit odd, though Melony. But it must just be a coincidence. Putting the book back on the shelf, Melony climbed back into bed. She felt much more drowsy now, so the moment she laid down, she was fast asleep.

The next morning, Melony dressed and went downstairs into the Kitchen.

"HAPPY BIRTHDAY!" cried her family.

"Thanks guys," said Melony, her face glowing.

She sat down at her seat next to her uncle Ray, who gave her a kiss on her cheek.

"I made your favorite dear," said Aunt Marrisa reaching into the oven. "Cinnamon Rolls! Just let me ice them, in the mean time, why don't you get started on your presents!"

There was a pile of presents in the center of the table. Melony started on the smallest one, from Ally.

"Wow!" she said as she opened it. "The new Roller Mister game! Thanks Al!"

Ally blushed. "It was nothing," she mumbled.

Melony opened the rest of her presents in under a minute.

Lexi gave her a book of fancy quiditch moves to learn, Uncle Ray gave her earrings, and Aunt Marrisa bought her a new silver watch.

"Thanks so much!" said Melony as she bit into a warm cinnamon roll.

As breakfast finished, Melony began counting the hours until Bridget was supposed to come.

"Why do you want to see her so badly?" asked Lexi as Melony checked hr new watch for the twelfth time.

"She has something really important to tell me," she replied. "And I really want to know what it is."

"Maybe it's not good news," said Lexi smirking at her.

"Gee, thanks for that Lex," said Melony rolling her eyes. "You're soooo supportive."

"Melony! There's and owl here for you!" called uncle Ray.

Uncle Ray always got excited when an owl came to deliver mail to the house. He was a muggle, so the idea of owls bringing post intrigued him.

A brown barn owl sat perched on her uncle's arm.

"Here," he said as he stroked the owls back.

Taking the letter, Melony read,

Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry.

Melony J. Potter

5430 River Lane

It was a very thick envelope. There were at least 10 sheets of parchment in there. Opening it, she read the first sheet.

_Ms. Potter,_

_We would like to take this chance to officially welcome you to Hogwarts. We were extremely pleased when you accepted our offer to take you in for the remaining years of your education. However, it has come to our attention that you are slightly behind our curriculum. This will not pose any issues, as long as you take in the attached notes, telling you exactly what you will need to know for each of your subjects. Please read over them so you will be prepared for your classes._

_Also enclosed, is a list of subjects that students entering the third year are offered. Please select the ones that appeal to you, and send it back as soon as possible._

_We look forward to your arrival on September the first. The Hogwarts Express at Kings Cross station leaves from platform 9 ¾, at exactly 11:00 am._

_Professor Minerva Mcgogonall_

_Deputy Headmistress. _

_Great, _though Melony_. More school work. _

She pulled out the other sheets of paper, looking for her notes, but her attention fell to something else.

_Students in the third year and up are permitted to visit the village of Hogsmade on certain dates. Please give this permission form to a parent of gardian to sign. If the form is not signed, you will not be allowed into the village._

_Professor Mcgoganall_

_Deputy Headmistress_

"Alright!" cheered Melony, punching a fist in the air.

"What?" asked Uncle Ray.

"I get to go into Hogsmade during the year!" she answered.

"No fair," said Ally walking into the kitchen. "We never get to go to cool places like that at Yettsi's."

Melony turned back to the envelope, the only thing left was the form with the classes and her book list.

Looking at the list of classes, she checked off Divination and Ancient Runes.

"Uncle Ray," she said walking over to him. I'm gonna need that owl back."

He gave the owl back, reluctantly though, and Melony tied the form to its ankle. Immediately, it leapt up and flew out the open window.

"Guess I better get started on these notes," said Melony glumly as she went upstairs into her room.

They weren't as bad as she thought though, after an hour, Melony had already went through everything for Herbology and Potions. She was starting on History of Magic, which was the longest portion, when she heard a loud popping noise downstairs.

"Hi everyone," she heard a voice say. It was Bridget.

Jumping up from her desk, Melony flew downstairs.

"Hey Bridge," she said, hugging her older sister. "I've missed you!"

"I've missed you too," Bridget said. "Happy birthday!"

"Thanks!" said Melony pulling away.

"Bridget!" cried Aunt Marrisa, pulling her into her arms. "It's great to see you again!"

"Same here Aunt Marisa,"

"I've got lunch waiting on the table," said Marrisa as Bridget gave Uncle Ray a kiss.

"Oh I've been looking forward to eating some of your cooking!" Bridget said as Ally and Lexi came over and gave her a quick hug.

They were right in the middle of their delicious meal of fried chicken, when another owl appeared at the window.

"It's for Melony," said Lexi untying the letter.

Melony took it, and saw it was from Hogwarts again. This time, it was much thinner, only containing the books she would be needing for her newer subjects.

"Great," said Bridget through a mouthful of chicken. "We can pick them up at Diagon Ally."

When they had finished there lunch, Melony ran upstairs to get some money and her first booklist.

"See you later," said Bridget as she took Melony's hand.

The two apparted into Diagon Alley.

I've already been to Gringots and got our money," said Bridget as they arrived next to the leaky cauldron. "So lets get some Ice Cream and talk."

The two of them sat down 10 minutes later, and a table outside Florean Fortescue's, licking enormous chocolate chip mint ice-cream cones.

"So, what'd you wanna talk to me about?" asked Melony anxiously.

Bridget looked around for a minute.

"You know about Sirius Black right?" she asked in a hushed tone.

"Yah, he escaped from Azkaban right?" asked Melony.

"Right," said Bridget.

"Well, what about him?" asked Melony, confused. "Why do you wanna talk to me about him?"

Bridget fidgeted with her bracelet for a second before answering; "He may be after you."

Melony stared. "Why me? What'd I ever do to him?"

"You did nothing," said Bridget. "But mum and dad, when they were alive, um, they, um, they put many of his, um friends in Azkaban.

"So he wants revenge on them by killing me?"

Bridget nodded.

"Well what about you?" asked Melony. "If he's after me, then he must be after you too."

"Well yah," said Bridget. "But I'm a more skilled witch than you aren't I? He'd most likely go after you, since you don't know as much magic yet."

"Does this have anything to do with me going to Hogwarts?" ask Melony.

"Kinda," she said. "The headmaster, Professor Dumbledore, was the only wizard Voldomort was ever afraid of. Black is sure to be scared of him as well."

Melony looked around her. So there was a crazy murderer after her. She had read about Black's escape in the Daily Prophet a couple days ago. Apparently, he killed 13 people with one curse.

"Don't worry too much Mel," said Bridget tossing the remains of her ice-cream cone in a nearby garbage. "Black hasn't got a chance of touching you under Dumbledore's nose. But all the same, keep in mind, Black's really good at tricking people. Don't go wandering around looking for him."

"If he's trying to kill me," said Melony. "What makes you think I'd go looking for him?"

Bridget looked at the ground for a moment. "Nothing," she said looking back up. "I'm just saying."

The girls stood up and headed away from the ice-cream shop, and headed off to Flourish and Blotts, to get Melony's school stuff.

"Hello," said a tired looking man behind the counter. "Hogworts?"

Melony nodded.

"Alright," said the man sighing. "Let's get the worst over with."

"What do you mean?" she asked. But the man was already making his way over to a large cage, filled with about a hundred books, growling and tearing each other up. The sign next to it said, THE MONSTER BOOK OF MONSTERS.

"Hold on," said Melony pulling out her list. "I don't need that one."

"Really?" asked the man sounding relived. "Thank goodness, what books _do _you need?"

She handed him her list.

"Excellent," he said brightly, and then handed her a book. "Here's The Standard Book of Spells Grade 3."

"I'll be next door getting your potion stuff," said Bridget. "I'll meet you back here in 15 minutes."

Melony nodded.

"I'll be back with your other books," said the man, heading to the back of the store. "Wait here."

Melony looked around. She had only been to Diagon Ally once before. She usually went to another shopping center to get stuff. There were tons of unfamiliar faces, who she guessed she would be seeing at Hogwarts.

"Come Draco," said a cold voice behind. She whirled around, and saw a tall man, with long silver hair entering the shop. Trailing after him, was a boy about her age, with a pale, pointed face, and the same hair as his father, but shorter.

The older man looked around the shop.

"Wait here," said the older man, his lips barely moving. "I'll go fetch help." He went to the back of the store, nearly knocking Melony over as he passed.

"Who are you?" asked Draco, walking over to Melony "I've never seen you at Hogwarts before."

"I'm just starting," Melony explained. "I went to another school before."

He nodded and extended his hand.

"I'm Draco Malfoy," he said.

"Melony," she said shaking his hand.

"So, know what house you'll be in?" he asked.

"Huh?"

"Slytherin's the best," he said. "The most powerful wizards go into there."

Melony nodded, still not having a clue what he was talking about.

"So where are your parents?"

"They're dead," answered Melony.

"Oh sorry," he said, but he didn't look like he meant it. "They were our type, right?"

"Our type?" she asked uncertainly.

"Were they a witch and wizard?" he asked, more slowly.

"Oh yah," she said.

"Good, can you believe they let in people with no magic parents? Like mudbloods?" he said, looking disgusted. "Bet they didn't do that at your own school. Only someone as screwed up as Dumbledore would allow them in."

Melony didn't say anything. At Yetsi's, there were many kids who didn't have any magical parents, and they did just fine. Her aunt told her about people like Draco. They felt like they were better than everyone just because they were pureblooded. Melony hated people like this.

"So," she said stepping closer to Draco, so their eyes met. "You think blood matters? You think that just because your whole family can do magic, you're better than everyone? Well, hate to brake it to you buddy, but you couldn't be wronger! Neither of my cousin's parents can do magic, and she got to skip ahead a grade, she was so good!"

Draco stared at her, then narrowed his eyes.

"You'll get it one day," he spat at her. "You hang around people like mudbloods, and you'll see, bitch"

SLAP!

Melony slapped her hand hard across Draco's face.

"Maybe you should watch off your face," she said. "You might have gotten some of your special blood dirty when I touched you."

Draco made a move for his wand, but at that moment, the man returned with Melony's books."

"Here you go dear," he said handing her the stack. "That will 5 galleons and 10 sickles, ah, I see you've met Mr. Malfoy!"

"You could say that," she said, handing him her money. "Well, thanks a lot!"

"Bye Draco," she said happily, as she walked past him. "See you at school!"

Bridget was waiting outside the shop.

"Nice job, taking on that Malfoy boy!" she exclaimed.

"You know him?" asked Melony.

"His father," she said. "Hate him. Oh, Here, I bought your present."

She handed her a large bag, and inside was an official, state of the art, quidditch quaffle.

"Bridge, your awesome!" said Melony.

"Yah, yah," said Bridget. "Come on, we have everything, lets head back home." She took her hand, as Melony took one last look around Diagon Ally, before Bridget disapperated.

_One month later, The Leaky Cauldron Inn._

"HERMIONE!" shouted Ron as he scooped up Scabbers. "Keep that beast away from Scabbers or I'll turn him into a coat!"

"Honestly Ronald," said Hermione. "What do you expect Cronkshanks to do, become best friends with Scabbers? He's a cat, he chases rats! Just keep Scappers in your pocket and he'll be fine!"

"Scabbers was here first!" yelled Ron.

Harry sat on his bed, watching this argument for what seemed like the hundredth time. It was really getting quite old. Suddenly, he heard a wailing noise coming from his trunk at the foot of the bed.

"What's that?" asked Ron, who had finally stopped arguing with Hermione.

"I think it's my Sneakascope." Harry said, going through his trunk to get to it. He finally found it, and putted it out.

"Oooooo, when did you get that Harry?" said Hermione, as she examined it.

"I gave it to him for his birthday," answered Ron. It's really cheap, though, it picks up really small things. I'm probably making it go off now, 'cause I'm supposed to be packing my trunk."

"Well go do it then!" said Hermione bossily. "We leave tomorrow!"

"Fine," he grumbled, leaving the room.

"Honestly," Hermione said, stroking Crockshanks.

Just then, they herd fighting coming in the next room, the one Ron and Percy shared.

"Better go see what's up," sighed Harry getting up.

Hermione nodded.

"You aren't leaving until I get that badge back!" roared Percy as Harry entered the room.

"What's wrong?" asked Harry.

"He stole my Head Boy badge!" Percy shouted, pointing a finger at Ron.

"I did not!" yelled Ron. "Now let me go get Scabber's Rat tonic! I left it downstairs!"

"Not 'till I get my badge back!" thundered Percy.

"I'll get it Ron," said Harry, leaving the two to continue their argument.

He made his way downstairs, when he heard Mr. and Mrs. Weasly. Quietly, he hid underneath the staircase.

"He'll have to now eventually Molly!" whispered Mr. Weasly angrily at his wife.

"I'm not saying don't tell him," hissed Mrs. Weasly. "I'm just saying don't tell him more than he has to know!"

"I won't," said Mr. Weasly. "But I still don't know why we can't tell him about her, I mean she'll be there this year!"

"I know Author," sighed Mrs. Weasly. "But Dumbledore feel's he should be the one to tell them. Plus, he wants Bridget to be there, so they'll have to wait until the second day back, so she can come."

"Well, I guess I'll tell him about Black then, that he's after him," Mr. Weasly.

And with that, the Weasly's went upstairs, unaware that Harry had been eavesdropping.

Harry stood there shocked. Sirius Black was after him. And who was this girl?

His mind buzzing with curiosity, Harry grabbed the rat tonic off the table, and began his way upstairs.

Percy had left the room by the time Harry got back. According to Ron, Fred and George had the badge. Ron thanked him for bringing the Rat tonic, and Harry went back to his room.

He lay on his bead, staring up at the ceiling. Why was Sirius Black after him? What had he ever done to him?

He asked himself that question many times, before he finally fell asleep.


	4. Hogwarts at last

AN- Thanks for all your reviews guys

AN- Thanks for all your reviews guys. I know that I never said why the kids were separated, but I did that on purpose, because Dumbledore is going to tell them later on, I didn't just forget! Oh and just so everyone is clear, Bridget did NOT know that the secret keepers were switched. It was done last minute, and the Potters didn't want their little daughter to know such valuable information. She knew that Sirius was the secret Keeper at one point, but that's it. So according to her, Sirius Black is responsible for her parent's death, not Wormtail. Also, Bridget never knew that 3 of the Marauders were animagus. She does know Lupin is a werewolf, though. There, got all that out of the way. If you have any more questions, send them to me in a review, and I'll answer them as long as it won't give any of the story away.

Thanks!

_September 1, Kings Cross Station_

"Hurry up everyone!" called Mrs. Weasly as they all rushed through the station, getting stares from muggles, because of the owls that sat onto of their trunks. As the group neared the platform, another group had just entered the station.

"Melony, are you sure you read the ticket right?" asked Marrisa, looking around. "I don't see a platform 9 ¾ "

"Yes," said Melony pulling out her ticket. "It says right here, platform 9 ¾, 11:00. We only have 15 minutes left!"

"Lets go check by platforms 9 and 10," said Ally. "That's around where it would be."

Ally and Lexi had come along, since they didn't start school for another week.

They started that way, when they saw a large family of red haired kids and parents, and a girl with bushy brown hair and a boy with et black hair.

"All right," said what appeared to be the mother. "We'll do this in pairs, you lot go first.' She pointed at one of the red heads and the two other kids. The looked around and leaned on the barrier between 9 and 10. Melony thought at first it just looked like they were talking, but then out of nowhere, they disappeared into the platform!"

"I think we found the platform," said Lexi starring amazed at the spot where the three had just been.

"Well, we'll just wait for them to go through, and then we'll go. It doesn't look that complicated." Said Marrisa staring intensely at the barrier.

Just as two more red-heads were about to go through, the mother looked over at Melony and her family.

"Um, are we in your way dear?" she asked.

"Oh no," said Melony. "We were just waiting for you all to finish going through the platform."

"Oh, you're going to Hogwarts!" she said. "I though you were muggles for a minute. Please, go ahead of us."

"No, we'll wait," said Marrisa. "But thank you."

"Well, if your sure, Fred, George, go on then!"

The two that had been on their way on through before, smiled at Melony and walked straight through.

"Ginny, Percy," said the man who must have been the father.

A small girl who looked to be about Lexi's age and a boy who was at least 17 got their trolleys and vanished into the wall just like the others had.

"See you on the other side," said the woman, looking back at Melony, and ran through into the wall.

"Nice meeting you," said the man. "I'm Author Weasly by the way," he said shaking Uncle Ray and Aunt Marrisa's hand, and followed after his wife.

"Well, they seem nice," said Uncle Ray. "We'd better hurry, we only have 10 minutes left," I'll go first said Melony, rolling her trolley over. "I'll wait for you on the other side."

Melony felt a wave of nerves overcome her. She couldn't help but feel she was going to crash right into the brick wall, even though she had seen all those people go through before her. Sucking up her courage, she began walking quickly towards the barrier. She prepared to meet the impact of the wall as she quickened to a run, but instead, a bright red train stood in front of her. Looking around her, she saw she was no longer in the muggle station anymore.

"That was awesome!" said Ally as her and Lexi came through after her. 10 seconds later, Marrisa and Ray had arrived.

"Well, guess you better board," said Marrisa. "Send us an owl as soon as you get to school, and be careful!"

"I will," said Melony as Marrisa gave her a hug and a kiss.

"We'll see you at Christmas," said Uncle Ray, giving her a quick peck on her cheek.

"We'll miss you!" said Lexi and Ally, giving her huge hugs.

"Bye guys," said Melony heading towards the school. "Don't get too board without me!"

Melony headed towards the entrance of the train, when she passed the man from the platform, talking to the boy with black hair.

A weird felling rushed through Melony at that point. It was almost as though she had met this boy before, but just couldn't remember it.

The two must of finished talking, because they boy waved good-bye and ran onto the train.

As Melony entered the Hogwarts Express, a loud clasp of thunder boomed.

"Great," she mumbled. "Just what I need, rain"

Looking down the aisle, Melony saw many doors with people running to and from all of them.

Sighing, Melony began down the hall, looking for an empty compartment. Everyone seemed to be filled to its max with people. Finally, she reached a compartment that had some room. It had the boy she seen earlier, along with one of the red heads and the girl with bushy hair. There also looked like there was a teacher in there, but he was sleeping.

Sliding open the door, Melony said, "Um, sorry, but do you mind if I sit here? I can't find anywhere else.

"Sure," said the red-head sliding down to make room for her.

"Thanks," she said, "My name's Melony by the way."

"I'm Hermione Granger," said the girl with the bushy hair.

"Ron Weasly,"

"Harry Potter."

Melony immediately looked up at Harry's bangs, but said nothing.

Harry studied the girl. She looked like someone he might have known, but no matter how hard he strained his memory, he couldn't figure out who she was.

"So, you must be a first year," said Harry. "I've never seen you as Hogwarts."

"Actually, I'm 13, but I went to another school before here, so that's why you've never seen me," she explained.

"What school was it?" asked Hermione eagerly. "I've read about all sorts of different wizarding schools,"

"It was Yettsi's," said Melony, looking a bit embarrassed. "I didn't really like it there, too much order. I'm looking forward to starting here."

Hermione nodded. "Hogwarts is a really great school. It was the first school in this part of England."

"Really?" asked Ron.

"Yes Ronald, it's in _Hogwart's, A History_," Hermione replied, exasperated.

Ron was about to say something to her, when a lady pushing a snack cart came in, "Anything sweet dears?" she asked.

Harry went into the hall, handful of coins. Melony wished she had brought more spending money, but what she had up in her trunk, she wanted to save for Hogsmade.

Harry came back in, his arms stuffed with all sorts of treats. He threw the lot on the seat.

"Take some," he said to everyone. "I got it to share."

Hermione and Ron went to the pile and grabbed some, but Melony stayed seated.

"You don't want any Melony?" asked Harry, opening a package of ice mice.

"Are you sure?" she asked.

Harry nodded.

"Thanks," she said, grabbing a pack of fizzing wizbees.

The four were talking for about a half hour, when Melony asked, "Who's that guy?" She pointed to the teacher.

"Professor Lupin," said Hemione at once. "He must be the new Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher."

"What happened to the other one?" Melony questioned.

Harry and Ron snickered. Hermione frowned at them.

"He lost his memory," said Hermione.

"Yah, now Lockhart's even more of a git!" said Ron between laughs.

"Wait, you mean Gildoroy Lockhart?" she asked.

'Yah," said Ron, finally calming down. "Don't tell me you like him though, because all he is a lying hair freak."

Melony smiled. "I always thought his books seemed a little off," she said. "And there all mostly about his looks!"

Harry and Ron broke out in laughter again, as Hermione looked away.

The door slid open again, and Draco Malfoy came in, followed bye Crabbe and Goyle.

"Thought I smelt something rotten, but it turns out it's only a mudblood." He sneered at Hermione.

Harry and Ron both jumped to their feet and pulled out their wands. "Get out Malfoy," said Harry.

"Yah the only thing here that smells is you" Ron said.

"Oh, going to jinx me are you know?" Malfoy asked, pulling out his wand. "Let's see it then."

"I don't think they need a wand to get you Draco," said Melony.

Malfoy stared at her, just realizing she was there. He remembered the incident at the bookshop well. He had a large, pink mark all down the left side of his face.

"Should of know you'd be with them," he spat at her. "You'll fit right in with this bunch of mudbloods and blood traitors. And of course, scar head here can get you a bit of attention if you walk around with him."

Melony stood up. Malfoy backed up a bit, and Crabbe and Goyle came up to her, cracking their knuckles.

"Ooooo, so scary," she said to them, and then turned to Malfoy. "Listen Draco, you know what I can do to you without a wand, do you really want to find out what I can do with one?"

Malfoy glared at her. "Come on," he said to Crabbe and Goyle, and they left the compartment.

Ron gapped at her.

"What did you do to him that was so bad he just backed off like that?"

Melony smiled at him. "I punched him in the face at Flourish and Blotts a couple weeks ago. That's how he got that mark on his face."

All three of them began laughing hysterically. "You are the most amazing person I've ever met Melony!" said Ron.

Hermione stopped laughing right after that.

"We should be quiet so we don't wake him," she said, indicating to Lupin.

As the rain poured outside, the four continued talking until out of nowhere, all the lights went out and the train stopped.

"We can't be there yet," said Harry standing up.

"Ron, that was my hand," winced Hermione.

"Oh sorry," Ron said.

They heard the door open.

"Harry, you here?" asked a voice Melony didn't recognize.

"Yah Neville," said Harry. "Who's that behind you?"

"It's me," said another voice.

"Ginny?" asked Ron.

"Yah," the voice said. "What's going on, are we there-"

"Quiet," came another voice, from the far corner of the compartment. Melony knew at once that it must be the teacher. "I here something."

A cold feeling came over them. Harry and Melony bumped into each other.

"Sorry" he mumbled.

Suddenly, the door slid open again, and this time, Melony heard no one. The clod feeling spread from outside her to inside. It was an awful feeling, like total despair.

Just then, a loud screaming echoed through her head, and her legs gave out from under her, as she fainted.

"Melony," she heard a voice calling her. "Melony"

Melony opened her eyes. She was on the floor of the compartment.

"What happened?" she asked as she sat up. Harry was also sitting on the floor.

"Well," said Ron. "When that thing came in, you and Harry both went, um, sort of funny."

"You passed out too?" Melony asked Harry.

Harry nodded.

"What was that thing?" asked Harry.

"Those were dementors, Harry," said Professor Lupin, coming in from the hallway. "They guard the prisoners at Azkaban."

"Why were they here?" asked Melony.

"Why looking for Black of course," Lupin said. "Now I've just had a word with the driver. We'll be at the school in 5 minutes, so I suggest you change into your robes."

And with that, he left.

They all dug through their trunks until they pulled out their robes. Melony had just finished pulling them on, when she remembered something. "Who was that screaming?" she asked.

"Yah, who was that?" asked Harry.

Ron and Hermione looked at each other.

"No one was screaming," Hermione said, looking puzzled at the two of them.

Lupin came back in.

"Almost forgot," he said, and he reached into his pocket and pulled out two pieces of chocolate. This will help you recover from the Dementors. We've just arrived, by the way."

Lupin smiled at them and left. Ron and Hermione gave Melony and Harry one last confused look, as Ron said, "we'll save you seats in the carriage while you eat," and the two of them left.

"Why could only we here the voices?" Melony asked Harry as she stuffed the chocolate into her mouth.

"I don't know," Harry replied, looking upset about something. "But we better get going to the carriages."

Melony and Harry made their way down the hall, and headed out to the carriage which Ron and Hermione were already sitting in, on their way to Hogwarts at last.


	5. Gryffindor!

As the carriges slowed to a stop, Melony's mouth fell open in awe

As the carriages slowed to a stop, Melony's mouth fell open in awe.

"Oh my gosh, it's huge!" she said as she stepped out of the carriage. "At least 3 times the size of my old school!" Hermione smiled at her. "It seems big the first time you see it, but trust me, after a week, you won't notice the size at all."

The four of them made their way to the entrance of the school, when Melony felt a hand on her shoulder. She turned around, and saw a strict looking woman with a pointed hat.

"Ms.Potter, My name is Professor McGoganall. You will need to follow me so you can get sorted before the first years arrive." She said.

Harry, Ron and Hermione were staring at her.

"Harry and Hermione, if you kindly come along as well, I have things to discuss with you. Ronald, you will continue into the Hall please,"

Leaving a confused looking Ron behind, Harry, Melony and Hermione followed her away from the cloud.

"You do not mind if these two are present for your sorting Ms. Potter?" asked Professor McGoganall. "Or would you prefer they wait somewhere else?"

"Um, sure, they can stay, but what do you mean by my sorting?" Melony asked uncertainly.

"You must be sorted into one of Hogwarts four Houses. Gryffindor, Huffelpuff, Ravenclaw, or Slytherin." She explained. "You will be spending mist of your time with students from your house, and earning points for them, or loosing them."

Melony nodded, still skeptical.

"Wait here please," said McGoganall, and she disappered down a hall, leaving the three alone in an empty classroom.

"Did she say your last name was Potter?" asked Harry.

Melony nodded. "But Potter is a common last name. I've must of met dozens of Potters in my life that I'm not related to."

Harry smiled at her. "I just thought you looked kind of familiar," he said.

Melony laughed. "You know, I thought the same thing about you! But I suppose we're both thinking of the wrong person."

"Yah," agreed Harry.

"So, what about these houses McGoganall was taking about?" Melony asked. "Which one are you guys in?"

"We're in Gryffindor," Hermione answered. "But Huffelpuff and Ravenclaw aren't bad either."

"What about Slytherin?"

"That's the house that produces the most dark wizards," said Harry. "Voldomort was in that house when he went here."

"Wait a minute," said Melony. "You just said his name!"

"Yah," Harry said. "I don't mind saying it, does it bother you?"

Melony shook her head. "It's just that you're the first person I've met who isn't scared to do say it though."

At that moment, Professor McGoganall walked back into the room, with a three-legged stool and a worn old hat.

"Please take a seat here and put on the hat," she said. "And it will sort you into your hat.

Melony thought that this was the craziest thing she had heard. How would putting on an ugly hat sort her into a house? But she did as she was told, and lowered the hat onto her head.

Instantly, a voice sounded.

"Hmmmmmm, I see your just the same as him, I thought this may be," it said.

_What? Melony thought._

"Yes, but where to put you. Let's see, you have the mind to be in Slytherin….

_No, she thought firmly. Don't you dare put me in Slytherin!_

Well now, if that's how you'll be, better be, GRYFINNDOR!"

Breathing a sigh of relief that she had escaped being put in Slytherin, Melony took off that hat, seeing a beaming Harry and Hermione.

"Well done Melony," said Hermione.

"Yah, this is really-"

But his sentence was cut short by a woman bustling into the room.

"Oh, they both look so pale!" she stated staring at Melony, and grasping her and Harry's arms. "Those horrid things dementors! Well, no matter, I'll look over these two."

"What no, we're fine!" said Harry pulling away from her hold.

"Yah, we don't need looking over," Melony said indignantly.

"Very well," said Professor McGoganall. "But, Madam Pomfrey, they should have some chocolate at the least."

"We already did," Harry said.

"Yah, Professor Lupin gave us some on the train," said Melony.

"Did he?" Madam Pomfrey asked. "Well, at least he knows his job well!"

"Do me a favor dear and take this down to the Hall for the first years," McGoagnall said.

Madam Pomfrey nodded, took the chair and hat, and left the room.

"If you two will step out, I need to have a word to Ms. Granger about her schedule, then we can all go down to the feast together." Said Professor McGoganall.

Melony and Harry went outside into the corridor.

"So," Melony said, leaning against the wall. "I've heard the quidditch is really good here, is that true?"

"Oh yah," Harry replied. "I play seeker for the Gryffindor team. Do you play at all?"

"I play chaser, do you know when tryouts are?"

"umm, I don't think there are any. Our whole team from last year is still here, but if you really want to play, you could took to Oliver Wood, he's the captain."

"I'll be sure to that then," she responded.

The door of the classroom opened and Hermione and Professor McGoganall walked out.

"Very well, lets be on our way," Professor McGoganall said as she marched towards the Great Hall.

When the entered the Great Hall, Melony's first thought was that she was outside, because there was no visible roof, just endless sky.

"Er, why is there no ceiling?" she asked Hermione uncertinally.

"Oh there is a ceiling," Hermione said sitting down at the Gryffindor table. "But it's bewitched to look like the night sky."

Melony took a seat between Harry, the set of red headed twins she saw at the platform.

"Are you first year?" one of them asked her. "Because you seem a bit tall."

"No, I'm a third year, but this is my first year at Hogwarts."

"Well, that'd explain it then," said the other twin. "I'm Fred Weasly by the way."

"And I'm George."

"Melony,"

The hall, which was full of chatter, suddenly fell quiet, and the old looking man who was sitting in the center of the teacher's table stood up.

Melony knew who he was from chocolate Frog Cards, but seeing him in person was something completely different.

"Welcome all!" he said, his voice echoing through the Great Hall. "Another year at Hogwarts is with us, and I can not be more thrilled! I have a few announcmets for the start of term, but I shall share them with you after we enjoy this spectacular feast, so dig in!"

At once, the empty plates in front of Melony were filled with delicious foods.

"Gate 'ood dis 'ear," Ron said shovling steak and chicken in his mouth at the same time.

Melony laughed, but Hermione rolled her eyes.

"Like Hogwarts so far?" Harry asked Melony, grinning.

"I love it!" she said filling her plate with potatos and roast beef.

Melony soon felt close to bursting, from all the food she ate. As the plates cleared, Professor Dumbeldore stood up again. "Now that we are all fed, I would like to give a few short notices. The Forest is off limits to all students, that is, unless they would enjoy having their limbs torn by the many beast inside it."

Melony noticed that he directed his eyes towards Ron, Harry and Hermione before continuing.

"I would also like to introduce you to two new additions to our staff. Professor Kettleburn has retired for his post of Care of Magical Creatures teacher, so filling his place will be none other then Rubeus Hagrid."

The hall erupted in applause, as an enourmus man stood up.

"That's Hagrid?" Melony asked.

"Yah, he's a friend of ours, we'll take you to meet him if you like." Answered Harry.

"And Defence against the dark arts will be taught by Remus Lupin,"

More applause came, but not quite as loud as it was for Hagrid.

"Finally, Hogwarts will be playing host to the dementors of Azkaban,"

Melony felt a knot in her stomach. She didn't ever want to come near another dementor after what happened on the train. She looked at Harry, and saw he didn't seem too pleased about this either.

"I remind you," Professor Dumbeldore said. "That it is not in the nature of dementors to be forgiving, so give them no reason to harm you. They can not be fooled by disguises, or even, invisibility cloaks." His eyes flickered towards Harry, Ron and Hermione again.

"That is all, you may return to your dormitories now, good night!"

Melony followed the others out the Great Hall, and up many flights of stairs until they reached the portrait of a fat lady wearing pink.

"Password?" she asked.

Melony looked at the others, she had no clue what the password was.

"Percy told me when you were up with McGoganall, its Balderdsh," Ron said, and the Picture swung open to reveal a large room, filled with comfy looking armchairs.

"Well, reckon I'll go to bed," said Ron, yawning. "Night!"

"Yah, think I'll go too," Harry said.

The too of them disappeared up a flight of stairs.

"Um, where's my room?" Melony asked.

"I suspect you'll be with me," Hermione said. "They group the students by age."

Melony followed Hermione up another set of stairs, leading to a door that read THIRD YEARS. Hermione opened it, and the two stepped in.

There was already two girls sitting on beds opposite each other, and there were two more beds across from them.

"Melony, this is Lavender and Pravati. Guys, this is Melony. She's new here, but she's in our year.

The girls waved at Melony, and she smiled back.

Her trunk was already at the foot of one of the beds, so Melony pulled on her dressing gown and crawled into the covers and fell onto the bed. She reached into her trunk and pulled out her quaffle and began throwing it in the air.

Hermione pulled out a large book and sat down in her bed.

"Why are you reading school books already Hermione?" she asked, catching her quaffle. "We haven't had any lessons yet."

"Yes, but I like to get ahead on my schoolwork," she said simply, turning the page of her book.

"You're like my cousin Ally," Melony said placing the quaffle back in her trunk. "Always studying."

Hermione gave a small smile.

"Well, night then," Melony said, pulling back the covers.

"Night," Hermione said.

Melony lay on her pillows, her mind full of her first few hours at Hogwarts. She already had three new friends, and the school seemed a lot better then her last.

Turning over, Melony smiled to her self, before drifting off.


	6. Classes start

AN- I'm starting to get some really good ideas for upcoming chapters, but my teachers obviously don't believe in having a life,

AN- I'm starting to get some really good ideas for upcoming chapters, but my teachers obviously don't believe in having a life, since they pile so much homework on us. But, hey, still got my weekend!

I'm doing a bit more Harry in this chapter. I know I've been focusing mainly on Melony, but now that she's finally at school, they should even out.

Thanks 4 reading!

_Boys' dormitory. Still the first night_

Ron and Harry were alone in the dormitory, as Nevil, Seamus and Dean were still in the common room.

"So," said Ron, pulling off his robes. "What'd you think of the new girl?"

"She seems all right," said Harry, taking off his shoes.

"Pretty cute huh?" asked Ron grinning.

"Sure," replied Harry distantly, not really hearing Ron. His mind was still trying to figure out where he had seen Melony before. Everything about her seemed so familiar. Her face, her smile, and especially, her eyes.

But as Harry put his pajamas on, his mind drifted back towards the incident on the train. Why did the dementor effect him and Melony, and not the others? Were they just weak? Melony didn't seem all that troubled about the dementor, like He did. Or perhaps it was just that she was good at hiding her emotions.

Trying to get the distracting thoughts out of his mind, Harry climbed into his bed, and fell asleep.

However, only a few hours after he fell asleep, he was woken with a start, after an odd dream he had although it didn't feel like a dream. It seemed so real.

Wiping sweat off his forehead, Harry looked around. His roommates were fast asleep still.

His dream started off pretty normal, he was imagining himself back playing quidditch for Gryffindor, but then, it took a strange turn. He was sitting in a kitchen, in what appeared to be a high chair. He felt rather stupid, seeing as he was thirteen and sitting in a baby chair, but he couldn't get up.

Then, out of nowhere, a blob of food hit him square in the face. Smearing it off, Harry looked towards where the food had come from. A baby girl, sitting in a high chair similar to his was smiling and clapping her messy hands together.

"Hey," Harry said, or rather, tried to say, because when he opened his mouth, all that came out was gibberish.

The baby girl seemed to understand him though, for she replied in gibberish too, but Harry understood it clearly. "Come on, it'll be fun!" she laughed, throwing more food at him. Getting more confusing every second, Harry tried to collect where he was.

Suddenly, a blonde girl, who looked like she couldn't be older than 9 or 10, came running into the kitchen. "Ooooooo, you two will be in so much trouble!" she said. And then, at the top of her lungs, she screamed, "MUM! MEL AND HARRY ARE THROWING FOOD AT EACH OTHER AGAIN!"

Harry tried to tell her that it was the baby who was throwing food, not him, but she didn't seem to understand him like the baby could.

She started towards Harry, and picked him up easily, which Harry thought should of been impossible, since he was at least a foot taller than this girl, but as she passed a toaster on the kitchen counter, Harry was shocked to see that his reflection was of a little baby, and it looked exactly like the pictures he'd seen of himself from the photo album Hagrid gave him when he was eleven.

That was the end of the dream. Even after playing it back in his head many times; Harry still couldn't make sense of it.

Realizing how tiered he was, Harry decided that he would try to depict the dream when he was fully awake.

_Girls dormitory, the first morning._

Melony awoke first in her room. Judging by the sliver of light shining through the window next to her bed, she guessed it was nearly 6.

Yawning and stretching, Melony got out of bed and riffled through her trunk looking for a quill and parchment so she could write her family. She pulled out 3 separate sheets of parchment, and on the first one wrote;

_Dear Aunt Marrisa, Uncle Ray, Lexi and Ally,_

_I'm loving Hogwarts so far. It's so huge, I'm afraid I'll get lost. I've met some new friends. They're names are Ron Weasely, Hermione Granger, and Harry Potter, (yes famous Harry Potter). We start our first classes today, so I'll try to write again this weekend and tell you all about them. _

_Love,_

_Melony._

On the second one she wrote;

_Dear Sammi, _

_Hogwarts is amazing! You would love it! It has tastier food, bigger grounds, and better rooms than Yettsi's. Oh! You won't believe who I've made friends with! Harry Potter! You would really like him if you met him. Maybe you guys can meet this summer or something. I made two more friends, Hermione and Ron, but don't worry, I'll always have room in my heart for you! Just joking! _

_Love,_

_Melony_

And finally, on the third sheet, she wrote,

_Dear Bridget,_

_You won't believe how cool this school is. I love it! I don't know if you know what this means, but I've been sorted into Gryffindor. I've made some new friends. Ron Weasley, Hermione Granger, and Harry Potter. But on the train ride here, something weird happened. A dementor came onto the train, and it made everything go funny. Everyone said that they felt horrible inside, but I actually fainted. I didn't say anything to anyone but you, but I think that I might be really weak. I mean, if I just pass out from a dementor, I must be right? Well, I'll write to you soon, _

_Love,_

_Mel_

By the time Melony had finished up the last letter, the other girls began to slowly wake.

"Morning," Hermione said getting out of bed.

"Morning Hermione," Melony answered. "Is there any place where I can send these letters?"

Hermione nodded. "The owlery. We can head up there before breakfast if you like."

"Thank," Melony said, opening back up her trunk. She pulled on a purple slim T- shirt, skinny jeans, and black converses(AN- I know they don't really wear that stuff in the books, but in the movies they wear regular stuff, so they will in this story too."

"It's such a relief to be out of those horrible school uniforms I had to wear at my old school," Melony said, pulling her new robes over her. "This is sooo much better."

Hermione smiled. Her and Melony clearly had different fashion scenes. She wore a skirt that reached mid thigh, a tucked in blue dress shirt, tights, and flat Mary Jane shoes.

"We better go meet up with the guys if we want to hit the owlery." Hermione said, grabbing her bag, which was all ready to go with her schoolbooks.

"K hang on," Melony said. She pulled her hair into a simple ponytail, and stuffed her books messily in her bag.

The girls said a quick good morning to Lavender and Parvarti, and headed down to the Gryffindor common room, where Harry and Ron were waiting for them.

"Melony wants to send some letters so we're going to stop by the owlery before breakfast," Hermione told the boys as they climbed out the portrait hole.

"Okay," said Ron, staring at Melony, with a small smile on his face. Melony wasn't sure, but she could sworn she saw Hermione scowl then.

The four of them made their way to the owlery. Hermione and Ron were silent the whole way there, but Melony and Harry started talking about quidditch.

"We've been so close to winning the cup for two years," Harry told her. "But we've never gotten it."

"I hope Wood at least gives me a chance to be on the team," said Melony. "But I don't want to push anyone else off, I'd be fine playing as a second or something."

The group reached the owlery in about five minutes. Melony stared around at all the owls. She had always wanted an owl of her own, but since her aunt was a squib, and her uncle a muggle, they really had no need to contact any wizards or witches. The only time they ever used them is when the girls went to school, or when Bridget wrote.

"Um, so I just use any of these owls," asked Melony, pointing to a wall of owls that said Student Use above them.

"Yah," said Harry. "Or I could let you borrow my owl, Hedwig. She's much faster than the school owls."

"Alright, thanks!"

Ron quickly rushed over to her and helped tie on the letters, and as soon as they were fastened, Hedwig took off out the open window.

When they arrived at the great hall, Professor McGogonall thrusted envelopes in their hands, and hurried off to a group of first years, who had just entered too.

"Let's see what we've got," sighed Ron, tearing his envelope open.

"Not too bad," Harry said, looking at his. "Transfiguration, Herbology, Care of Magical Creatures and double Charms."

"What 'bout you Melony?" asked Ron.

Melony tore open her envelope, and looked down at the classes.

'I've got the same as you, except I took ancient runes instead of magical creatures." She said.

"Oh, we'll be in that together," said Hermione, studying her schedule, which was far longer than any of theirs.

"Hermione, how many classes are you taking?" exclaimed Ron, taking her schedule from her.

"They must have made a mistake," he concluded, after examining her list. "You have a bunch of classes at the same time, it's like your supposed to be in two places at once."

"Don't be silly Ron, how can anyone be in two classes at once?" Hermione said shortly, snatching her schedule back from Ron and putting it back in her bag.

As they finished breakfast, they headed towards their transfiguration class. Ron was still pestering Hermione about how she planned on attending all the classes she had.

"I've told you Ron, I've worked it out with Professor McGoganall," she said for the fifth time as she took her seat at her desk.

Ron was about to say something back, but was interrupted by Professor McGoganall coming into the room.

"Good morning everyone," she said as she walked past the aisle of desks to the front of the room. "Take out you books and wands please, and lets begin."

Melony pulled out her copy of Advanced Transfiguration with a nervous look on her face. Transfiguration had been her worst class at Yetssi's, probably because her teacher, Professor Taragrelm, had always mumbled instructions under her breath so that no one could hear her, and gave large amounts of homework that barely related to the topic. She hoped that this year would prove to be more beneficial.

"Today we're going to work on transforming mice into birds. I know that this may be harder than anything you've tried before, however, you all can do it. Turn to page 6 in your books, and read the theory, then split into groups of 2 and practice it on your mice, which you can find in the box on my desk."

Melony opened her book, and glanced next to her at Hermione, who already seemed to be halfway through. By the time she was finally done, half the class was starting on the practical exercise. Her and Hermione took a mouse and brought it back to their desk.

"Wanna go first?" Melony asked Hermione, since she was eagerly eyeing the mouse.

"Okay," she said, rolling up the sleeves of her robe. "Newmortha" The results happened instantly. The mouse shot up in height, and colorful feathers replaced its white fur.

"Well done Ms. Granger," said Professor McGoganall rushing over, changing the bird back to its original state. "On your very first try. Take 30 points for Gryffindor. Ms. Potter, lets see your try."

Trying to replay exactly what Hermione did in her head, Melony flicked her wand and said, "Newmortha." The results could not have been further apart. The mouse gave a squeak of pain and leaped about 10 feet into the air, and bounced around on all the desk, before Professor McGoganall could finally gain control of it.

Melony felt herself go red as the classroom filled with laughter. Ron and Hermione were both trying to hold in the laughs, but Harry on the other hand, didn't even crack a smile. They're eyes met, and he gave he a sympathetic look.

"Alright, settle down," ordered Professor McGoganall. "Pack up your things and return the mice. Everyone who did not manage to do the spell will practice it and write me an eight inch paper on the theory."

The bell rang, and Harry and Ron caught up with Melony. Hermione had to double back to the class to get a book she had forgotten.

"Don't worry about the mouse," Harry told her. "Everyone just laughed because it was funny, not at you."

"Thanks," she said. "Transfiguration is my worst class. I only passed it last year because my cousin tutored me right before the exam."

"You're cousin was in school with you?" asked Ron.

"Yah, both of them. Ones a year older than me and the other is a year younger. They're pretty cool."

"Wish my cousin was too," Harry said. "Don't think there's a good thing about him."

Herbology went much better for Melony then transfiguration had. Professor Sprout was impressed that she knew the proper ways to care for Ringenwald plants, and only Neville was able to de-seed more than her.

After Herbology, Melony said bye to Harry and Ron, who went off to Care of Magical Creatures, while she set off to Ancient Runes.

She looked around for Hermione, who had been behind her, Harry, and Ron when they left the greenhouse, but had disappeared.

The castle seemed so much bigger when she was finding a class on her own. She must of passed the same hall several times, before figuring out she was on the wrong floor. By the time she found her room, she was 10 minutes late.

"Sorry I'm late," she said as she entered the room at last.

"No problem," said the teacher, Professor Harthwith (AN- did they ever say who taught ancient runes?). "I know your new, just take a seat. We were just going over the course aims."

Hermione, who was seated at the front, indicated an empty seat next to her. Melony sat down and whispered,

"What happened to you? I thought you were behind us?"

"I forgot my bag back in the greenhouse," Hermione whispered back.

Melony thought there was something odd about this. She remembered Hermione's over-stuffed bag hitting her on the way out the greenhouse, but she didn't say anything.

"Now then, as I was saying, Ancient Runes is highly difficult, and requires much skill. You must be able to put translations together to form a significant meaning," Professor Harthwith said. "Now, seeing as it's your first day of Ancient Runes, I don't expect you to know any translations at all. But, as a fun little activity, I'm going to hand out some statements, that I want you to try to translate based on common sense. You will have 20 minutes."

Melony looked down at the slip of parchment she had been given.

The Sun Will never set if b discouraged.

It was absolute rubbish. She looked over at Hermione, who was already hard at work.

_Why in the bloody hell did I take this class? _Melony thought to herself.

"10 minutes left," announced Professor Harthwith.

Giving up all hope of finding the correct translation, Melony decided to BS her way through it, so she would at least have something to turn in. She had just finished scribbling down _The sun may not always rise _as her answer, when she felt her mind slip into somewhat of a dream like state. She was seeing something that was nowhere near her surroundings.

She was soaring above the lake at the school, but she wasn't on a broomstick. She was on some sort of creature she had never seen before. She was too scared to try to get a full picture, but she did note that the creature was covered in beautiful white feathers, and had a sharp, bird like beak.

"Time!" called Professor Harthwith. Snapping back into reality, Melony found herself back in her class, sitting next to Hermione.

_What was that? _She wondered. _It was no ordinary daydream._

"I'll come around to check how close you came," she said as she made her ways through the rows, crossing out incorrect translations for every person.

When she came to Hermione and Melony's table, Melony was fully prepared to receive a red X on her paper, but on the contrary, Professor Harthwith seemed impressed.

"My word, Ms. Potter, you've got the translation word to word!"

"I did?" asked Melony, amazed.

"You must be a natural at this," the Professor continued. "Well done!"

She moved onto Hermione's paper,

"Well, this is still excellent for a first try Ms. Granger," she said, but not in same tone as she had for Melony.

"Very close, you only mixed up water with harmony. Very common mistake, happens all the time."

She went onto the next table.

"Did you read the whole book?" asked Hermione abruptly, looking at Melony.

"No, I seriously took a wild guess," Melony replied. "I've read maybe 10 pages."

Hermione seemed happy at this piece of information, so Melony decided to tell her about her "daydream".

"That's really odd," she said, getting up as the bell rang.

"I know, I've never had a daydream before, I'm usually really alert!" Melony exclaimed.

"No, not that. What you just described is exactly what Harry was doing during our Care of Magical Creatures lesson."

"How do you know," asked Melony suspiciously. "You weren't there."

Hermione turned red. "look, if I tell you something, you have to swear you won't say anything to anyone else."

"Swear."

Hermione looked around. No one was watching them. She reached into her robes, and pulled out a gold chain.

"This is called a time turner, it's how I'm going to manage my classes this term. I'll go back and redo hours."

"Wait, so when you said you went back inside the greenhouse…"

"I really went back in time," Hermione finished. "Remember, you can't tell."

"Secrets safe with me," Melony said, as the two sat down at their table in the great hall.

"But what about my whole daydream thing?"

"I don't know," Hermione admitted. "I've heard of some wizards being able to look inside others heads, but that takes a great deal of skill and training. No third year could do it."

"Maybe it's just a coincidence," Melony suggested.

Hermione was about to comment, when the boys cams.

"How'd you get here before us?" asked Ron, sitting down. "You were behind us!"

"So how was care of magical creatures?' said Melony, distracting Ron from his question.

"Bit of a disaster really," he said. "Malfoy found a way to ruin things as usual. Git."

"What happened?" she asked, curiously.

"Well, Hagrid brought a bunch of Hippogriffs for his first lesson, and Malfoy insulted one, and it attacked him" explained Harry.

"That's awful!"

"You don't think Hagrid would lose his job do you?" Hermione said. "I mean, it wasn't his fault. He told us not to insult them."

"Yah, but you know how his father is," Ron cut in. He turned to Melony, "His father works at the Ministry. He's always trying to interfere at Hogwarts."

"I know," Melony told him. "My sister works there too. She told me he's awful."

"My dad knows him too. He always says he'd like to get Malfoy for something." Ron said. "Hey, what department does your sister work in? Maybe my dad knows her."

"All I know is that she's an Auror," Melony said.

"What's that?" asked Harry.

"A dark wizard catcher," Hermione said.

The bell rang, signaling the end of lunch, and they went to their Charms class.

Melony instantly loved that class. It wasn't a lot of practical practice, but more hands on. Professor Flitwick insisted that her and Harry sit together though, and when he walked away, she thought she head him mumble under his breath, something that sounded like, "Finally together!"

They were working on a charm that would make an object do cartwheels.

"I know the OWLS are far away," said Professor Flitwick. "But it has never failed that this is on the exam, so make sure you know it!"

"When in the real world are we going to have a make a teacup do gymnastics?" asked Melony, as her cup nearly fell of the desk, as it did its cartwheel.

"Dunno," Harry said, flicking his wand, so that his teacup did the same as Melonys. "Maybe if we're being attacked, we could charm something to distract the attackers."

They both laughed at this.

"So, are you from London?" Harry asked Melony.

"No, I live in a small town called Relgs, with my aunt and uncle."

"You don't live with your parents?"

"No they died when I was a baby."

"Sorry, about that, I didn't know."

Melony smiled. "That's alright. I suspect you know how it feels."

Harry nodded.

"I don't remember them much," she continued. "No one ever talks about them. All my aunt will tell me is that they died heroes."

"The only reason I know about my parents is because a lot of the professors here knew them. Before, I didn't even know how they really died."

The two of them were silent for a while, the only sound that came from them, was the clattering of the china when their teacups turned cartwheels.

"So, you wanna come and meet Hagrid tonight?" Harry said, after minutes of silence.

"Sure," said Melony. "It's a shame what Malfoy's doing. I bet he really isn't hurt."

"Alright students!" called Professor Flitwick. "Put the teacups back into the box in the center of the classroom. The bell will ring any minute."

Just as he finished that sentence, the bell rang.

Harry and Melony hurried to clean up, and met Hermione and Ron by the door.

"Well, at least we don't have too much homework tonight," Ron said as they made their way to the common room. "Just McGoganall gave us some, but that's to be expected."

Melony sat down in one of the squishy armchairs, taking out her transfiguration book, but couldn't help grinning, even though she was about to start her transfiguartaion homework. Hogwarts was just so incredible.

AN- yah, I know, corny ending, but I had to tie it up somehow. It was WAY longer than I thought it would be.


	7. A visit to Hagrid's

AN- Thanks for the reviews everybody

AN- Thanks for the reviews everybody. This story is getting really difficult to write, but I'm trying. Anywayz, Harry and Melony will find out the truth about the two of them soon. Either the next chapter or the one after that. I just need Melony to meet hagrid first, and for both of them to have a few flashbacks about them when they were babies.

Read and Review, I hope you like it.

Even though it was only her second day, Melony felt like the castle was a second home to her. She figured out where all her classrooms were, so she didn't have to rely on the other three to get her there.

The group had just token their seats at the Gryffindor table, when Hedwig swooped down and landed next to Harry.

"Guess she has your answers," said Harry as Hedwig pecked affectionately at Harry's knuckles. He struggled to untie the letters from the owl's ankle, and then handed them to Melony.

"Thanks," she said, taking her letters. She let Hedwig nibble on her toast, so she would leave Harry alone, and opened her first letter. It was from Sammi.

_Hey Mel,_

_Wow, Hogwarts sounds great. So much better than Yettsi's. I just got here last night, and I already have a weeks worth of detention. All because I knocked down that vase in the second floor hall. I can't believe you met Harry Potter! Is he as amazing as they make him sound in books? Ally's really getting on my nerves. She was made our dorm advisor, so now she's threatening to punish people if they don't make their beds and stuff like that. Talk to her will you? Or I will have to take matters into my own hands if you know what I mean…_

_Anyways, I miss you like hell, but have fun still._

_Love, _

_Sammi_

Melony laughed.

"What?" asked Harry.

"It's my friend, she's kind of psychotic, but she means well, here, see for yourself." She gave the letter to Harry. Ron peered over his shoulder. Harry turned slightly red when he read the part about him being awesome, as Ron burst out laughing.

The second letter was from her aunt and uncle.

_Dear Melony,_

_I'm so glad you like Hogwarts, it sounds like a wonderful school. I know that the rules there are a bit more lax the then they are at Yettsi's, but I still want you to behave yourself. I'm glad you made new friends, perhaps they can spend part of the winter holiday with us. Your uncle says hello too, but he's a bit busy at the moment trying to repair the toaster._

_Write soon._

_Aunt Marrisa._

And finally, the letter from Bridget.

_Dear Mel,_

_Congratulations on being sorted into Gryffindor (yes I know what it means, mum and dad were both in that house). But more importantly, have you been listening to what I told you about not wandering off? As for the dementors, you are on no means weak. They effect everyone differently. Listen, Professor Dumbledore wants to meet with me in about a week, so I will be coming to Hogwarts!_

_See you then,_

_Bridget_

"Wonder why Dumbledore wants to see her," said Melony, taking a bite of her eggs.

"Why Dumbledore wants to see who?" asked Hermione.

"My sister, she's coming here in a week."

Hermione shrugged and turned back to her breakfast.

History of magic was their first class that morning. At first, Melony thought the class was bound to be interesting, since it was taught by a ghost, but she soon found herself bored out of her mind, so she played hangman with Harry and Ron, while Hermione shot them disapproving glances, as she scribbled down notes.

"So, where do you reckon the North Tower is?" asked Ron as they exited History of Magic, and began there was to Divination.

"Dunno," Harry said. "But I'm guessing we have to head away from the Astronomy tower, because that's on the south side,"

So they made their way to a flight of stairs and began to climb.

"How far up is the room?" Melony asked, clutching her side, after they had been climbing for five minutes.

"We must be nearly there," Hermione answered.

"Halt there you scallywags," said a voice that made all of the jump, and Melony nearly ran into Hermione.

"What the hell was that?" asked Ron, steadying himself.

"Look," Harry pointed to a picture on the wall, of a knight riding on a horse. The knight was pointing its sword at them, swishing it around.

"Come and fight me," it said. "Come on, let your bravery be tested!"

"We don't want to fight you," Harry said. "But do you know how much further the Divination room is?"

"Oho, a quest! Well than, follow me men, gentle ladies."

The four exchanged glances, and hurried off after the knight, who was already three frames ahead.

The knight, who called himself Sir Cardgin (AN- I know its something like this) was extreamly annoying, All the way, he made appoint to challenge any pictures the resided in frames in his path, slowing down the process.

Melony was so happy when they reached the classroom, and that hopefully, this was the last time she would ever have to see Sir whats- his – face.

"Um, there's no door," said Harry.

But once he had spoken, a ladder fell down from the celling, leading from a trapdoor.

"Well, I'm guessing we found the door," said Melony, climbing up the ladder. The other three followed in suit.

The classroom reminded Melony of a teashop. Except the smell wasn't of tea, but like a really strong perfume.

"Welcome," said a voice.

They whirled around and saw a woman draped in many colored Shaws, and stung with beaded jewelry.

"Take a seat, we shall begin shortly."

Sinking into a puffy armchair, Melony whispered to Harry, "Some classroom,"

Harry grinned back at her.

The woman swept to the front of the room. "You have chosen to study the complex art of divination," she spoke in the same misty voice that she greeted them in.

"I, professor Trelawny, will guide through it. You will broaden your minds, open your inner eye, and learn to feel the fates. I'm afraid to say that books will not be much help to you."

Harry, Ron and Melony smirked at Hermione's shocked expression.

"We shall begin the term with tea leaves, then we will master palmistry. Unfortunately, one of you shall not make it to the second semester."

Gasps were heard all around the classroom Hermione, on the other hand, rolled her eyes.

"You will divide into twos," Trelawny continued. "And teach take a cup filled with tea. Drink the tea, then turn the cup in your hands, and depict the image left behind, using the chart in your books on page 56. Begin!"

There was a rush of commotion as everyone got their cup. Ron and Hermione worked together, since they were sitting the closest to each other, and Harry and Melony teamed up.

"Alright," said Melony, finishing off her tea. "Here's my cup. Tell my future."

"Umm, said Harry, analyzing the chart. "You have a bumpy thing here at the top, I guess that could be a frog, which means you'll travel somewhere new."

"I look forward to it," said Melony sarcastically. "Give me yours."

Melony looked at his tealeaves, and found that hers looked exactly identical to his.

"Harry, look, they're the same." She showed him the two cups.

"Well, that saves you a bit of work then," he said, peering into the cups.

Melony laughed, just as Professor Trelawny came over to their table. "How are you two doing?" she asked.

"We both got the same image," Harry explained to her. "A frog, I think it is."

"Let's just see than," she took both cups and looked into them. The minute she did however, she gave a yelp, and threw them back down.

"What?" demanded Melony, who was wiping spilt tealeaves off her lap.

"My dear children, you have… the GRIM!"

Ron, gasped, and Neville dropped his second teacup.

"The what?" Harry and Melony both asked at the same time.

"T-the Grim is an omen," said Professor Trelawny, her voice shaking a bit. "An omen, of d-death!"

The bell rang, just as everyone had crowded around them trying to get a look at the spilt tealeaves, to see if they still resembled the Grim.

"There will be no assignment tonight," Trelawny said, as they headed for the trap door. "Only to center your minds will be enough."

"What a load of rubbish," said Hermione, after they had exited the room. "Really, reading tea leaves? That has no accuracy whatsoever."

"I dunno Hermione," said Ron. "If they saw the grim, then they may be in trouble, my uncle Bilius saw one, and died 24 hours later."

"Coincidence," said Hermione shortly.

Ron was about to make a re-budel, but Harry, wanting to avoid an argument so early in the day, cut in and said, "Let's go to Hagrid's, we never got a chance to go last night."

Though they had planned to go to Hagrid's as soon as they finished their Transfiguration, they had to push the visit aside, because Melony and Ron had gotten into a game of wizards chess, which lasted almost until eleven, because Melony was nearly as good of player as Ron.

So the group walked across the damp grounds without any rows, but Hermione and Ron didn't look at each other.

"He lives over there," Harry told Melony, indicating a wooden hut.

When they knocked on the door, a loud barking sounded, that made Melony jump. She was never too fond of dogs.

"Don't worry, it's just Fang," said Ron.

The door opened to reveal the largest man Melony had ever seen. His face was covered in out of control hair, and his hands look large enough for a small child to sit in, but Melony got the sense that his size had nothing to do with his personality, because what she could see of his face seemed to be tearstained.

"Hi Hagrid," said Hermione. "Are, are you all right?"

"Fine," said Hagrid looking at the ground. "Come in,"

Hagrid was busying himself at the stove. Melony gave Harry a nervous glance.

"Hagrid," Harry spoke up. "This is Melony Potter. She's new here."

Hagrid spilled the kettle of tea he was preparing.

"Oh," said Hermione rushing to clean up. But Hagrid paid no attention to her. He was staring at Melony so intently, that Melony felt like he was trying to read her mind.

"Hello," she said.

Hagrid didn't respond immediately. He kept glancing from her to Harry.

"Nice to meet yer," he said finally, holding out a giant hand to her which she shook.

Hermione brought a fresh kettle of tea over to the table.

"Thanks Hermione," said Hagrid, grabbing 5 cups from the counter, and sitting down. "Don't know what's come over me. It's just that after my first lesson…" and her burst into tears.

"What's wrong?" asked Melony, slightly alarmed at the sight of a large man bawling.

"Buckbeak, he- he- he's going to have a hearing to sentence him to death!" Hagrid said, before breaking down into sobs again.

"What!" exclaimed Harry. "Because of Malfoy! They can't do that!"

"Yah, Hagrid," Ron agreed. "Harry, Hermione and I will be witnesses. We'll tell them that you said Hippogriff's would attack it insulted."

Hagrid shook his head. "Won't do any good. Lucius Malfoy too powerful. He'll have the judges all blackmailed or bribed."

They were silent to a bit, then Hagrid blew his nose on a large handkerchief. "So, Melony, where'd you go before you came to Hogwarts?"

"Yettsi's," she replied. "But I like Hogwarts a lot better so far."

Hagrid smiled. "Hogwarts a great school, love it when I was here."

After that, Hagrid seemed to cheer up a bit, the five of them talked about how their lessons were going.

"Divination seems like an awful lot of guess work if you ask me," Hermione said. "And I think it's absolutely mad what she said about Melony and Harry having the Grim"

Ron sighed, "Hermione, you just don't like Divination because it doesn't involve books."

"Oh honestly Ron," she said exasperated.

"I remember taking Divination before I got expelled." Hagrid said. "I never found much truth to it."

Hermione beamed triumphantly at Ron. "See, no brainwork in it. I mean, Harry and Melony haven't even seen a dark dog."

"I have," Harry said. "The night I blew up my aunt."

Melony spit out her tea she was drinking. "Sorry, did you say you blew up your aunt?" she asked.

"Oh yah, funny story really," Harry said, trying to hold back his laughter.

"It is not funny Harry," Hermione said sternly. "You were lucky not to be expelled."

"Are you sure you saw a black dog Harry," said Hermione, changing the subject.

"Well, it was dark out. But I saw the eyes."

"Probably just a stray," said Hagrid, getting up. "Yer better get back up to the castle or yer will miss yer lessons."

Saying goodbye to Hagrid, the four headed back up towards into the castle.

"Damn it, we have double potions with the slytherins," moaned Ron.

"I actually like potions," Melony said. "It was probably my best subject back at Yettsi's."

"Yah, well, you'll change your mind once you've met Snape." Harry said grimly. "He favors his class and hates all Gryffindor."

Melony felt the temperature drop dramatically as they entered the dungeons. She followed the others as they choose a table in the back.

"Hi guys," said a round face boy, sitting down at a table next to them.

"Hi Neville," Harry, Ron and Hermione said.

"Neville, this is Melony, Melony Neville," Hermione introduced.

Neville and Melony exchanged friendly smiles, but didn't get a chance to do anything more than that, because at that moment, Snape walked into the class.

Melony's first impression of him was that he looked like a vulture, waiting to clamp down on his pray.

"You'll be making an enlargement potion today," he said, in a low tone, barely audible from the back. "It isn't that hard, however," he glanced at the back, focusing in on Harry and Neville. "It will come to some of you that way."

He walked down the rows of desk until he reached theirs.

"Well, it seems we have a new student among us," he said, his lips barley moving.

Melony nodded.

"Perhaps you aren't aware of the policies in my classroom. When I ask a question, you answer me, not give some obscene head gesture." Snape sneered.

Malfoy, who was sitting across the classroom, snickered. Melony shot him a death stare.

"Yes sir," she said to Snape. "I am new."

"And your name?"

"Melony. Melony Potter."

She saw Snapes eyes flicker towards Harry briefly, but quickly said, "Well, Ms. Potter, since I have no record of your progress in this class, I will be testing your potion today."

He turned and walked back to the front of the room.

"Directions are on the board, ingredients are in the cupboard. You may begin."

Melony had made an enlargement potion last year, so she really wasn't nervous about Snape testing her potion, but as she got her supplies for the cupboard, she couldn't help but feel a slight bit of worry.

When she got back to her seat, she met an unpleasant surprise. Draco Malfoy had moved to the table next to theirs, along with Crabbe, Goyle, and another girl, who she did not know.

"Yes, I was rather lucky to escape a more serious injury," he said to the girl as she listened intently. "Nearly lost my arm from the attack. If I hadn't gotten to Madam Pomfrey when I did, who knows what state I would be in."

Melony saw Harry's fist clench as he chopped up his Unium herb.

"Professor," Malfoy said loudly. "I'll need someone to skin my gredroots, seeing as I'm disabled at the moment."

"Weasly, skin Malfoy's gredroots." Snape said without looking up.

Mumbling under his breath, Ron grabbed Malfoy's gredroots from him and began to hastily skin them.

"Professor, Weasly's butchering my gredroots."

"Weasly, switch gredroots with Malfoy."

Ron looked like he was going to argue with Snape, but thought better of it at the last moment, and handed over the gredroots that he had worked on for nearly 20 minutes.

"And Professor, I'll need someone to slice my Rinderga wings."

"Mr. Potter, do it for him."

With just as much dislike as Ron, Harry began to slice for Malfoy.

"Really don't know how much longer that big oaf will be teaching here," Malfoy said. "My father really wasn't to thrilled when he found out he would actually be teaching this year. And now with my arm, well, lets just say, Dumbledore should start searching for a new teacher."

He looked smugly at Harry and Ron, who were trying their best to ignore him.

"Of course, who can really be surprised Dumbledore let him teach here, after all, he lets all sorts of scum go here."

"You should be thanking him Malfoy, if scum couldn't go here, you'd be out an education," Melony said, as she poured in her crushed niffler claws.

Harry and Ron were doubled over in fits of silent laughter. Even Hermione was struggling to keep a giant grin off her face.

"Think you're so funny?" said the girl next to Malfoy. "Make a couple of witty comments and you think you're so cool?"

"Maybe you're boyfriend should stop faking injuries just so he can ruin peoples lives,"

Melony retorted, looking right at her face.

Harry and Ron had finished doing Malfoy's work, so they went back to their potions, giving Melony smiles as they passed her.

Malfoy gave her an evil look and said, "Doesn't really matter if I am faking it, that Hagrid's still good as fired."

"Time's up," echoed Snapes voice through the dungeon. "Ms. Potter, bring up your potion. Let's see if you have more skills than the other Potter."

The slytherins laughed. Putting her potion into a flask, Melony brought it up to Snape.

"Hold out you hand," he demanded.

Slightly scared of what he was going to do, Melony held out a trembleing hand. Snape poured a few drops onto her hand.

Instantly, her hand began to swell up at a fast rate.

The Gryffindors all cheered, while a disappointed looking Snape, reversed the effects of the potion.

"See what we mean about him," Ron said as they left Snape's dungeons. "Evil, slimy git!"

"Well done with Malfoy and Parkson though," Harry said, patting her on the back.

"Yah, Melony, you were bloody awesome!" Ron agreed. Hermione didn't say anything, but instead, stared at the floor.

After Astronomy and dinner, the group went back to the Gryffindor common room, to start on the much larger amount of homework.

"Harry, how was your summer?" asked a tall boy who looked to be about 17. Without waiting for a response, he continued on, "Look, I've booked the field for tomorrow evening at 7. This is going to be the year we win!"

"Yah, hey Oliver," Harry said. "This is Melony. She's new here and she really wants to be on the team. You think she could play like a second or something?"

Wood studied Melony for a minute, then asked her, "What do you play?"

"Chaser," she answered.

Wood thought about this.

"Well, I'm not going to replace any of the chasers we already have, but if you really know your stuff, I'll let you play as an extra. Maybe if the others agree, you 4 can work out a schedule of who plays when."

"Thanks so much," Melony said.

Wood shook her hand, and went off to Fred and George.

"Who are the other three chasers?" she asked Harry.

He indicated three girls standing in the corner. "Angelina, Katie, and Alica. They're really good. I don't think they'll have a problem with you playing with them."

She nodded, and turned back to the mountain of homework she had to do, when she noticed Hermione. After potions, she hadn't really talked to any of them. Melony hadn't really noticed at dinner, since she and Ron were laughing at Malfoy's expense, but now it seemed to be peculiar.

"Hermione, is everything alright?" she asked, sitting down across from her.

She nodded, but still didn't talk.

"Are you sure, you seem awfully quiet?"

"I'm fine," she said, but it came out as barely a whisper.

"Alright," Melony said getting up, and going back to her work.

Melony figured that it was probably just stress that had got to Hermione, since she was taking so many classes. But as she began on her homework, she couldn't help but feel something else was going on.


	8. I have something to tell you

Hermione went to bed without a word to Melony that night

Hermione went to bed without a word to Melony that night. When Melony said good night to her, she merely nodded. She was getting dressed just as Melony was waking up the next morning, and was gone before Melony could wish her a good morning.

When Melony went down to the common room, Hermione was talking to Ron, and Harry was swapping chocolate frog cards with Neville.

"Hey Melony!" Ron said brightly, turning away from Hermione, as Melony joined them.

"Hi Ron," Melony responded. Hermione grabbed her bag from the chair next to Harry, and said something about needing to use the library for a bit.

"Um, guys, you don't happen to know what's the matter with Hermione do you?" Melony asked as Hermione disappeared out the portrait door.

"Oh nothings wrong with her," Ron said. "She'll go to the library everyday usually. I'm actually shocked she didn't go yesterday."

"No not that," said Melony. "I mean she's been acting weird ever since we left potions yesterday."

"She's probably just tiered because of all the classes she's taking," Harry chimed in, putting his newly own cards into his bag. "She does have more than any of us."

"I guess your right," Melony said slowly.

Hermione was missing at breakfast. Harry and Ron dismissed this by saying she most likely ate before going to the library, but Melony wasn't so sure.

All throughout the day, Hermione left before any of them in lessons, and turned up first for the next class. At lunch, she ate quickly, not talking at all, except to ask Harry to pass the crisps. She was even present in Defense Against the Dark Arts class before Professor Lupin showed up, her newly broken in book on the desk, ready to go.

"Good afternoon," he said, striding into the class. "I'm Professor Remus Lupin. You can put those books away for now. I have a practical lesson planned that should be very beneficial."

There was a murmur of excitement as students stuffed the book back into their bags.

"We'll be learning to get rid of Bogart's today," Professor Lupin said. "Can anyone tell me what a Bog- all right, you there," he looked down at his list. "Ms. Granger."

"Bogart's are shape-shifters. They can take the form of whatever a person fears the most."

"Excellent, exactly right. Now, the best way to tackle a Bogart is with a group of people. Does anyone know why?"

Hermione's hand went into the air, but Professor Lupin looked down on his list for a different name. "How about you Mr. Potter?"

"Um, because the Bogart wont know what shape to take?"

"Correct. Yes, some Bogart's try to become more then one shape, and they end up making a mess of themselves, but most simply just become too confused to continue on."

"The incantation used with Bogart's is 'Riddikulus," continued Lupin. "Now everyone, repeat after me, 'Riddikulus'"

The class did as they were told.

"Very good," Professor Lupin said. "Now, just follow me to the staff room, where I have a Bogart ready for us to practice on."

"He's great," whispered Ron excitedly, as they made their way down hallways. "No books!"

"He does seem good," Hermione said for the first time that day.

The class piled into the staff room, and Melony was very unhappy to see Professor Snape in there.

"Ah, hello Severus," Lupin said cheerfully. "Just come to practice on a Bogart in here."

Snape said nothing at first. His eyes swept the students.

"I should worn you Remus, this class contains Longbottom, who is capable of making the biggest disaster out of the simplest of spells," Snape said finally.

"Really? I was hoping that Neville would help me demonstrate to the class. Care to watch Severus?"

"No no," Snape said softly, and he walked out.

"Yes well," Professor Lupin said loudly, getting the class's attention. "Neville? Care to come up here?"

Neville came next to Lupin, sweating, and looking very nervous.

"Don't be worried," Lupin said kindly. "Now can tell us what you fear the most?"

Neville's lips moved, but no sound penetrated from them.

"I'm sorry, what did you say?"

"Professor Snape," Neville said a bit louder.

The class tried to hold back their laughs, but Melony thought someone as vile as Snape was a perfectly reasonable fear.

"Professor Snape? Very well, now you live with your grandmother correct?"

Neville nodded. "But I don't want the Bogart to turn to her either."

"No," Lupin said. "But I do want you to do something…"

Lupin bent down next to him, and whispered something to him in his ear.

"All right everyone," Lupin said, as Neville drew his wand. "Pay attention to how Neville does this."

He unlatched a wardrobe door, and at once Professor Snape stepped out.

The class was dead silent, waiting for what would come next.

"R-Riddikulus!"

At Neville's incantation, Bogart Snape stumbled backwards, as a moth eaten dress and stuffed eagle hat appeared on him.

The class was filled with gleeful shouts and laughs. Melony's sides hurt by the time Lupin got the class settled down.

"That's the key to getting rid of a Bogart," Lupin explained. "Laughter. Take the thing you fear most, and make it funny. Now, form a line, and you can each have a go at it."

There was a great bustle and eventually, a long line was formed in front of the wardrobe.

Seamus Finnagin went first. A lady glided out, and made a horrible screeching noise. "Riddikuls!"

The Banshee stopped screaming, and clutched its throat. It had lost its voice.

"Good Mr. Finnagin! Next!"

Pavarti Patil went next. The voiceless Banshee transformed into a bloodstained mummy.

"Riddikuls!" The mummy's bandages began to unravel and the mummy tripped over its own feet.

It was Melony's turn at last. The mummy stopped stumbling, and took the form of a big, black dog.

Melony got the same felling in the pit of her stomach as she did whenever she was around any dog.

The dog started barking, and made a movement to jump up on her, when she found her voice.

"Riddikuls!" The dog stopped in midair and became no more than a stuffed puppy.

The Bogart continued to take on many more shapes. A snake, a ghoul, a clown.

Then just as Ron had finished taking the legs off of a giant spider, Harry stepped up, but Professor Lupin said, "I think we've had enough practice." He stepped in front of Harry and the Bogart took the shape of a silvery circle.

"Riddikuls," he said with a lazy flick of the wand, and the circle vanished in a puff of smoke.

"Well, that's all I have today. Kindly read the first chapter in your books, and summarize it for me. To be turned in next lesson."

"Best lesson ever," Ron said as they left the staffroom. "Did you see how I tackled that spider?"

"That was really good Ron," Hermione spoke up, but Ron didn't seem to hear her, because as she said that, he had turned to face Melony and say, "You were really good too. That dog did look a bit veracious. But you just changed it BAM like that!"

Melony gave a small smile. Hermione said something about needing to use the restroom, and hurried off, in the direction opposite from any bathrooms.

"Harry," Melony said quietly as Ron discussed the lesson with Dean Thomas, who had just passed them.

"Yah?"

"Did you think that the dog the Bogart turned into look like the Grim?"

Harry frowned. "I thought that too," he said in a low voice. "But maybe it was just a coincidence. Do you usually fear dogs?"

She nodded. 'Since I was four and a stray one bit my leg."

"Well then I don't think it was," Harry said firmly.

"Too bad you couldn't have a go at it though," Melony said.

"Yah, I guess Professor Lupin doesn't think I'm good enough to take on a Bogart."

"Harry, that's not true at all! We just ran out of time. Hermione didn't get a go either, and everyone knows she's the smartest witch in our year!"

"I guess," Harry said, no looking all that sure.

"I have an idea," Melony said, trying to change the subject. "Why don't we head out to the Quidditch pitch? I want to get in some practice before Wood sees me."

"Alright."

So they went back to the common room, and Melony ran up to her dormitory to get her broom and Quaffle.

Harry was already waiting for her by the portrait when she got downstairs again.

"Ready?" he asked.

"Yah, come on!"

Melony hadn't been on her broomstick since her days in Yettsi's. It was an amazing felling to be back on. She did a couple of laps of the field before she actually practiced scoring on Harry, who was playing Keeper. Harry was an okay Keeper, but Melony got most of her shots around him easily.

"Wood's a lot better than me though," Harry said after she scored her tenth goal in a row.

About an hour later, the rest of the team made their way out to the pitch.

"Alright Melony," Oliver said as her and Harry landed back on the ground next to the rest of the team. " I want to see how you play with each of our chasers, and of course, how well you can score. So your going to do some passes with each of the Chasers, and then try to score on me. Fred and George are going to be hitting Bludgers at you, so try to avoid them."

That didn't seem too complicated to Melony.

She was going to be flying with Katie Bell first.

"Hello," Katie said, shaking Melony's hand.

"Hi,"

"I hope you do well, it would be great to have another Chaser on the team."

Wood blew his whistle from the goal posts, and Katie and Melony kicked off.

Katie started off with the Quaffle and passed it immediately to Melony, who had to make a sharp turn to avoid a Bludger. Her and Katie kept passing the Quaffle until Melony was within scoring distance of the hoops.

Wood was floating right in the middle of the three goal posts, so he had good coverage of all the hoops.

Melony however, knew what to do. She made a really obvious attempt at a fake to the left, and Oliver flew to the right, so Melony took this to her advantage and scored to the left.

"Not bad," Oliver said, back on the ground. "Never seen something like that before. Now try with Alicia."

Wood caught the Quaffle that time, but it had been a narrow save, and when she flew with Angelina, she scored yet again.

"Well, I have to say I'm impressed," Wood said thoughtfully. "2 out of 3 goals, no Bludger hits, excellent passing… Well, if the rest of the team is okay with it, I'm going to let you play as a Chaser."

The team applauded and cheered at this. The Weasly twins each high fived her.

For the rest of the practice, the team worked on their goal scoring while dodging Bludgers, and Harry released the Snitch.

"Great work team," Oliver said after Harry caught the Snitch. "If we keep up like this, we'll have no problem wining that Quidditch cup."

"Congratulations," Harry said happily as the rest of the team went back into the castle.

"Thanks, I can't wait for our first game. Who do we play?"

"Slytherin. Malfoy plays Seeker for them."

"Oh, make sure you beat him Harry. If he wins, his ego will be bigger than it is now."

Harry laughed.

"Oh damn it," Melony said suddenly, stopping in her tracks. "I forgot my Quaffle down at the pitch. I'll be right back."

"Want me to wait?"

"No that's alright. You go back into the castle."

"Right. See you."

Melony watched Harry be swallowed up by the darkness, then headed back down to the pitch to retrieve her Quaffle.

She had just picked up the discarded Quaffle, when she got the strange feeling someone was watching her.

"Who's there?" she asked loudly.

There was no answer, but Melony still sensed something was there.

The she saw a pair of glowing eyes, right behind a bush. Curious, she walked slowly up to it.

The pair of eyes came a bit closer, and Melony relized what it was. A big black dog.

Melony tried hard not to scream, but as the dog advanced, she let out a small, terrified squeak, and turned to run.

But she had run no further then ten steps when she slipped in a pile of mud from the mid-morning shower they had that day.

Pain seared through her ankle. She clutched it tightly, as she looked franticly around for the dog.

"Melony? Are you alright?"

"Harry!" I'm over here!"

"What happened?"

"I saw a huge dog and it kind of freaked me out."

"Here, let me help you."

Harry put an arm around her shoulder and pulled her to her feet.

"Thanks," Melony said gratefully.

"We should get you to Madam Pomfrey, she can mend bones in no time."

"I really can't stand dogs," Melony said as they trudged back into the castle. "I don't have a lot of experience around them either because my sister's allergic to dogs."

"Well the only dog that usually hangs around here is Fang. And I'm sure if you asked him, Hagrid would put him outside if you'd like."

"Why'd you come back? I thought you were going back to the common room. Not that I'm not thankful."

"I dunno, I had this weird feeling and I just decided to come back."

"Well, that was really lucky."

"Well here we are."

Melony sat down on one of the many cots.

"What happened here?" Madam Pomfrey asked rushing over.

"I slipped in some mud," Melony explained. "I think I broke my ankle."

"Yes, you defiantly did," she said, examining the ankle. "Well, I'll mend this up in a jiffy. But I want you to spend the night, just to make sure it heals right."

"Okay," Melony agreed.

"I'd better go," Harry said. "I don't wanna meet Filch after curfew."

"Good night. Thanks again Harry."

"No problem."

_Monday of the next week_

Melony hastily woke up, punching her pillow to try to become more awake. Quidditch practice had run late last night, and she had to stay up until past midnight, finishing up a Transfiguration essay.

As usual, Hermione had already woken, and was down in the common room. Hermione had been acting odd all week. Though Harry and Ron paid no mind to this, and just said it was the stress of so many classes, Melony still believed it was something else…

_Boys Dormitory._

There was total darkness except for a nightlight that illuminated from the top of a nearby dresser.

The baby girl was sitting upright and sucking on the end of a rattle.

Once again, Harry found himself as the other baby.

"I'm worried about Mummy and Dada," the baby said in the gibberish language. "They seem scared of something."

Harry didn't know who this girl's parents were, so he didn't have any idea how to respond to this. Luckily, the scene changed, but Harry found himself trapped in the baby's body once more.

"Bridget, watch the twins please!" a voice called from somewhere in the house. "I'm cooking dinner."

"Okay mum," said the same blonde girl from his first dream.

An orange cat lay next him, licking his paw. The baby girl crawled over to the cat and started petting it, giggling like mad…

A pillow hit Harry, waking him up. "Wake up," Ron said as he pulled on his socks.

Harry threw the pillow back at Ron, and then hastily began dressing.

"Well, I think I finally have enough courage worked up," Ron said.

"For what?" Harry asked, yanking his shoes on.

Ron took a deep breath. "I'm going to ask Melony out."

Harry stared at Ron. "Wow, um, that's er great!"

"Is it alright with you mate?" Ron asked. "You don't like her too do you?"

"Not like that," Harry said. "It's just kind of surprising, that's all."

"Okay good," Ron said, letting out a breath.

But Harry got a strange feeling. Not jealously for Melony. More like the need to protect her. Ron was his best mate, but he could be a bit stupid at times.

"Well come on then," Ron said.

Melony wasn't down yet. In fact, the common room was empty except for Hermione, who was curled up in an armchair, reading a thick textbook.

"Oh, good morning," Hermione said smiling at them.

Harry bid her a good morning, but Ron just nodded at her, and began fiddling with his shoelace.

"What're you reading?" Harry asked Hermione, sitting down in the chair next to her.

"I'm reading ahead for Muggle Studies," she responded.

"Why are you taking Muggle Studies? You're muggle born. You know all about them."

"Yes, but it's so fascinating to study them from-"

"Good Morning Melony," Ron said standing up.

"Oh, morning Ron," Melony said, a bit confused.

"You look very nice this morning," Ron continued, his face getting redder by the second.

"Um, thank you," Melony said, a bit token back by the compliment.

"Not that you don't look nice every morning," Ron quickly added. "It's just- um- I was wondering if you'd like to, you know, gooutsometime,"

"Oh, um," Melony said in surprise. "That's really nice Ron, but I don't think I like you that way. I just thought of us as, you know, buddies."

"Oh," Ron said, looking crestfallen.

"I'm really sorry Ron," Melony said sincerely.

"No, no," Ron said. "Yah, just friends. Got it."

Melony felt like a spineless creature right then.

"Well, I'm hungry, gonna go grab some breakfast. See you later,"

He hurried out the portrait, and Harry quickly followed him, to try to counsel him through his rejection.

It was just Melony and Hermione in the common room.

"Shall we go get some breakfast?" Melony asked, turning to face Hermione.

Hermione's face was redder than Ron's. But not with embarrassment. With anger. Her eyes were full of tears, and they we glaring right at Melony.

That's when everything clicked in Melony's head. Why Hermione was avoiding her. Why she got quiet and made an excuse to leave every time Ron complimented her….

"Oh my god, Hermione, I'm so sorry, I really wasn't trying to-"

"Oh save it!" Hermione yelled.

"Hermione you have to believe me. I had no clue he was going to-"

"Of course you didn't! You just took every chance you could to show off in front of him. Acting all perfect and what not!"

"Perfect? If anyone's perfect it's you. Look at how you do in class!"

"Oh nobody cares about how I do in lessons!" she yelled, an inch away from Melony's face.

"You show up Malfoy a few times and make the Quidditch team and everyone loves you!"

"Hermione listen to me," Melony pleaded.

"Goodbye Melony,"

Hermione stormed out the portrait, slamming it shut.

Melony sank into an armchair, and buried her hands with her face, and let out a sob.

She had been at Hogwarts one week, and somebody already hated her guts.

She sat there for quite sometime, before she finally stood up, and headed out the common room, wiping tears off her face. Her first class that day was Transfiguration. She had missed breakfast, so she went towards the classroom. She was arriving at the same time Ron and Harry were.

Ron avoided her eyes, and rushed into the classroom.

"You two," Professor McGoganall beckoned up to her desk.

Melony and Harry walked up to her.

"Professor Dumbledore wants to see you both in his office now. The password's Cauldron Cake."

"Why's he want to see us?" Harry asked.

"You'll find out when you get there, now go!"

"Wonder what this is about," Harry said as they exited the Transfiguration classroom.

Melony didn't answer.

"What's the matter?"

She sighed. "Ron is acting all weird around me know, and Hermione just about hates my guts."

She explained to him what happened after he had left.

"You and Hermione will patch stuff up," he assured her. "She was probably just token by surprise about how Ron was acting."

"I guess, but I can't believe I missed seeing how they like each other."

"What!"

"Oh Harry, how can you not see it?"

"They're always fighting and stuff though,"

"That's how you act when you really like someone. Jeesh Harry, your so naive."

"Thanks," he said sarcastically as they reached a stone gargoyle.

"This is Dumbledore's office?" Melony asked in awe.

"Yup. Cauldron Cake!"

At those words, a flight of stairs slowly rose.

They climbed them, and knocked at the door they met at the top.

"Enter!" came Dumbledore's voice.

They opened the door and to Melony's surprise, she saw Bridget sitting in a chair across from the desk. She had completely forgotten Bridget was coming this week.

"Come sit down," Dumbledore said in a tired voice. "I have much to tell you both."


	9. Reunited at last

"What'd you have to tell us?" Harry asked, still standing.

Melony was just as confused as Harry. She looked at Bridget, in hope of some sort of explanation, but Bridget just stared at the ground. Melony noticed though, her eyes seemed to be glistening with tears.

"It is complicated," Dumbledore said in the same tired voice. "So very complicated. Please sit, so I can enlighten you."

Harry and Melony both sat down.

"Harry, as you well know, 12 years ago, Lord Voldemort came to your cottage in Godric's Hollow."

Harry nodded, still unsure of why he was there.

"Your parents were killed," Dumbledore continued. "And you were brought to live with your mother's sister."

"But I know all this already Professor," Harry pointed out. "Hagrid told me this when I was 11."

"I am aware of this Harry," Dumbledore said, now pacing slowly behind his desk. "But there is something you don't know."

"What?" Harry asked at once.

"Harry, before I tell you, I must say this. I know you will hate me for not telling you sooner. For letting you believe you had no one for years. But I was trying to protect them. Protect you."

"Professor, I still don't know what your-"

"Harry, the night of your parents death, you weren't the only one left alive in that house."

"What!"

"You had two blood relatives right there with you the whole time."

Harry was hopelessly lost.

"I still don't follow," Harry said. "My parents died that night, didn't they?"

"Oh yes Harry, though I wish they had not. But still you had family that lived."

"Who?"

Dumbledore let out a deep breath. "Your sisters."

Harry stared dumbfounded at Dumbledore. "My sisters?"

"Yes Harry, you were not the only child Lily and James had. In fact, I do believe you were the last, by only 4 minutes."

Melony still didn't know why she was here. She felt as though her and Bridget were intruding on what ought to be a private moment for Dumbledore and Harry. She bowed her head down, pretending she wasn't hearing any of this.

"By only 4 minutes?" Harry repeated. "But that would make me a-"

"Twin yes," Dumbledore finished for him. "You had one older sister too. Eight years older to be exact."

"Where are they?" Harry asked. Melony could tell he was trying to keep his temper down.

"Right here in this very room."

Melony perked her head up. "Huh? Bridget and me are the only ones in-" But then she realized what he meant. But it couldn't be…

She turned to Bridget. "Does he mean us does he? He can't mean us!"

But Bridget nodded her head.

"Wait," Harry said, standing up. "Are you saying Melony is my twin? And that she," he pointed to Bridget. "Is my older sister?"

"I know what you must be thinking," Dumbledore started. "But as I said-"

"I don't believe you," Harry said shortly.

"Me neither," Melony agreed.

"I told you this might happen," Bridget finally spoke. She reached into the bag she had hung over her shoulder, and pulled out a folder. "Here, take a look at this.'

Melony took it, and with Harry looking over her shoulder, she opened it.

_Melony Joana Potter__ (5lbs. 2oz)_

_&_

_Harry James Potter (__5lbs. 4oz)_

_(Twins, veternal)_

_Parents: Lily and James Potter_

_Date of Birth- July 31, 1980_

_Time of Birth- Melony Potter- 3:04 am_

_Harry Potter- 3:08 am_

_St. Mungo's Hospital_

"It's your birth certificate," Bridget explained as they read it.

Even after reading it over four times, Harry still couldn't accept it. He had longed for family other than the Dursley's all his life, but it was always just a wish. A fantasy. But here it was in writing, and standing right in front of him.

His feeling of denial was then replaced with anger. For Dumbledore. For Hagrid. For anyone else who had known about this and hadn't told him.

"Why?" he said, stepping towards Dumbledore's desk. "Why are you just telling me this now?"

"Harry, you have every right to be mad," Dumbledore said calmly. "But please allow me to-"

"YOU MADE ME THINK THAT MY WHOLE FAMILY WAS DEAD! THAT ONLY THE DURSLEY'S WERE LEFT!" Harry shouted, making Bridget jump a bit. "AND THEN, YOU JUST THROW IT OUT THERE THAT I HAVE TWO SISTERS!"

Melony barely heard Harry over her thoughts. She had a twin that was kept from her for 12 years. It was like a whole half of her was missing and she didn't even know it. Snapping back to reality she focused her attention on Harry.

"HOW COULD YOU KEEP SOMETHING LIKE THIS FROM ME?" Harry yelled.

"Harry, I know I should have told you two about this sooner," Dumbledore said in a low voice. "But I didn't. I was an ignorant old man. But I ask yours, Melony's, and even Bridget's patience as I explain."

Harry said nothing, he just glared at Dumbledore. Melony however was getting madder by the minute.

"You knew," she said quietly, but still, with as much anger as Harry had expressed. But she didn't direct these words at Dumbledore, she spoke them to Bridget. "I've asked you how many times how our mum and dad died, and you never said anything about this? They were murdered my Voldemort! But you obviously didn't think that was important enough to tell me! And you knew about Harry! But you hid that from me too!"

"I was only doing what he asked me to!" Bridget yelled, standing up and pointing at Dumbledore. "You don't think I wanted to tell you all this? I wanted to see Harry since he left to go with the Dursley's, but Dumbledore gave me strict orders not to say or do anything!"

"And I wish to explain why I did so," Dumbledore said before Bridget could say anything else. "I would like to make up, for what I have put you through."

No one spoke, but the three Potters all sat down, awaiting Dumbledore's explanation.

"Very well," Dumbledore said, sitting down behind his desk. "Now then, the night Harry survived the killing curse set on him by Lord Voldemort, we all know he met his downfall."

Harry, Melony and Bridget still continued to stare. "But, his followers, a few of them, were still out there. They were searching for any sign of their master. Not showing any mercy to the people they believed had something to do with his loss."

"Frank and Alice," Bridget said softly.

"Yes," Dumbledore said sadly. "Worse than dead. I knew if word got out that Harry still had family alive, they would be in grave danger."

"Hang on," Harry said, standing up. "In my first year, you told me that my mother's sacrifice was protection against Voldemort, they must have it too."

"I'm getting to that," Dumbledore said. "Yes Harry, your mother's protection keeps you safe from Voldemort, but that's because she died to save YOU. If the moment presented itself, I am positive she would of done so for Melony and Bridget, but they were safely hidden at the time. Transfigured I believe?"

"Yes," Bridget nodded. She turned to Harry, and spoke to him for the first time. "Harry, mum hid us in you and Melony's nursery. She turned us into pieces of furniture, in order to hide us from Voldemort, but she picked you up, erasing the spell, right when he came into the room. He only saw you and her. Not us."

"So Voldemort never knew about me and Bridget?" Melony asked.

"No. All he knew was that Lily and James had a son." Dumbledore answered.

"I still don't see why we were split up," Melony said coldly.

"In order for your mothers protection to work for Harry, he had to give with the only living family on her side. Her sister Petunia."

"Well, why couldn't we go there?" Bridget asked.

"As I said, the protection did not work for you," Dumbledore said patiently. "Only for Harry. Sending you there would be very dangerous. James's had a sister, who was unknown to the Wizarding world because she was a squib. Sending you with her seemed like the safest option."

"Why? Aunt Marrisa can't do any magic? How would she be able to protect us if any of Voldemort's followers came to kill us?"

"True," Dumbledore said. "But she would."

"What?" Melony said with a questioning face.

"Marrisa treated exactly as her own children the instant she received you all those years ago, am I right?"

Melony and Bridget nodded.

"She loves you just as your mother loved you. She would without question give her life if it meant saving yours. Thus, if anyone tried to harm you, her love would keep you safe, just as Lily's does with Harry. Petunia, I think Harry will agree, would never put your life over hers or her husbands and son's."

Pieces of this story were slowly starting to come together in Harry's mind, but still, much was blurry to him.

"But why couldn't we have at least known of each other, even if we couldn't live in the same home?"

"That Harry," Dumbledore said gravely. "Is where my mistake comes in."

"How exactly?"

"Many of Voldemort's followers are still among us today, hiding from Azkaban, bidding there time before they come out in the open again. I counted on my plan of keeping Melony and Bridget's relation to Harry unknown far too much, because recently, a flaw appeared."

"What flaw?"

"Sirius Black."

Harry still didn't comprehend this. "But Sirius Black didn't know about Melony or Bridget."

"Yes," Dumbledore said heavily. "He did. Melony, Harry, once more, I will ask your forgiveness for not telling-."

"He betrayed them." Bridget said, cutting Dumbledore's sentence off. "He was there friend, yet he sold them to Voldemort."

"Black?" Harry and Melony both asked in surprise.

"Yes, Sirius Black. He was then only one who knew where they were hiding. I didn't know this until a year ago myself," she added, as Melony opened her mouth to say something to her.

"Dad was best friends with Sirius. He came over to our house all the time. He even helped dad teach me to ride a broomstick." Bridget went on. "They were so close, that he was even made Godfather of all three of us."

"No way!" Melony said. "Surely dad saw Sirius for what he was at some point!"

"Nope, he played his part well. Had me completely hoodwinked as well. He came over right after the curse backfired. At the time, I completely forgot what mum had told me, that black would keep us all safe. I was just so upset, that I couldn't think straight. He tried to take us, but then Hagrid came, and said Dumbledore said we needed to go with him."

"But how exactly did he betray them?" Harry asked her.

"Your parents had something called a Fidelius charm cast over them," Dumbledore said.

Harry had almost forgotten he was there. He had been too shocked at what Bridget had just told him.

"The charm is able to keep people hidden, even if their enemy is standing right next to them. However, it requires the location to be told to one person. As long as this person tells no one, they're safe."

"Obviously, dad made Black Secret Keeper for us," Bridget said. "But then he went

and-"

"Told Voldemort," Melony finished for her.

"Yes."

Dumbledore cleared his throat. "If you'll excuse me," he said, striding to the door. "I think I should leave you three alone for a bit, to catch up. I must send an owl to the Ministry anyways…"

And with that, the door closed, leaving Bridget, Melony, and Harry alone. It was extremely awkward. No one seemed to know just what to say.

"I can't get over how much you look like him Harry," Bridget finally said, fighting back more tears. Harry didn't have to ask to know whom she was referring to.

"I've heard," he said, still a bit unsure of how to act around his newfound sisters.

"Except you have mum's eyes," she added. "Both of you do."

The twins turned to look at each other. That's what made it all seem real to Harry, the amazing resemblance between him and Melony. How had he not spotted it before? The same face, the same eyes, the same hair. Even the same skills at Quidditch. They were truly twins. Family.

He could see it in Bridget too, looking at her properly. She had the same eyes as James, from the picture he had seen, yet Lily's smile seemed to mixed in too.

"I guess we know why I thought you seemed so familiar when we first met," Harry said to Melony.

She managed a small smile. "I suppose we do."

She looked at Bridget. "Everything's going to be different now, huh?"

Bridget nodded. "You bet."

The tension in the air had suddenly faded. Melony told Bridget how she made the Gryffindor team, and Harry told Bridget about his last two years of Hogwarts.

"Dumbledore's told me about them in letters," Bridget said as Harry finished telling the story about how he killed the Basilisk. "But not in much detail. It's unbelievable what you've done!"

"Maybe I'll be getting in on some adventures this year," Melony said.

Bridget laughed. "I wouldn't be surprised. When you were babies, you both got in so much trouble together. Throwing food, spilling potions ingredients…"

Melony and Harry exchanged grins.

They hadn't realized how much time had gone by. Dumbledore came back at last, announcing that the rest of the school was now enjoying their dinner.

"I can much understand if you would prefer to eat together in here," he said, eyes twinkling.

Harry still wasn't sure whether or not he should forgive Dumbledore. Melony as well. But something about the old man made it seem impossible to hold a grudge.

"Thank you sir," Harry said. "We'd like that."

"Oh, I nearly forgot," Bridget said suddenly, jumping up out of her seat. "I have to go hand Bertha something for work, then file some reports for Ludo."

"Bridget work at the Ministry," Melony explained at Harry's puzzled look.

"Yah," Bridget said, picking up her bag. "It can be a downright pain sometimes."

Dumbledore said something about being needed in the Great Hall, leaving the siblings alone once more.

"Harry," she said, but nothing more than that, because she embraced Harry in a Hagrid like hug.

"I've missed you," she said, finally releasing him. "But we'll se each other again real soon."

She gave Melony a fleeting hug, and Harry one final watery smile, before she left.

Platters of sandwiches had somehow appeared on the desk, reminding Harry of last year, when him and Ron had been forced to eat away from everyone else.

"What'd you think everyone will say?" Melony asked, taking a sandwich. Harry had been wondering that as well.

"I suspect Malfoy will try to have a few tries at us," he said, also taking a sandwich. "But other than that, I don't really know."

The two slowly ate their way through the platter, then got up and headed back to the common room.

It must have been really late, because there were no students around, and people in portraits were sleeping.

"Fortuna Major," Harry told the drowsy looking Fat Lady.

The common room was empty, littered with discarded newspapers and candy wrappers.

"Oh damn," Melony said as she was about to go up to her dormitory.

"What?"

"Hermione's still mad at me."

"She's probably asleep, I mean, we were in there a pretty long time."

"I hope your right. Well good night,"

"Good night."

They gave each other one last glance, before departing to their separate dormitories.

Melony couldn't tell if Hermione was asleep or reading in bed, because her curtains were drawn around her bed, but she was sure she saw a faint light shining through them.

The morning's incident made it's way back into her mind. Burring her head in her pillow, Melony made a silent oath that she would do everything she could to make Hermione forgive her. But still, with all the drama that happened earlier, her happiness outweighed her negativity by plenty.


	10. A tragedy erupts

Harry was happy to find that Ron was fast asleep when he entered his dormitory. He didn't want to tell Ron the whole story now, when Harry himself was only getting used to it. Though it was late, Harry didn't feel all that sleepy. He rifled through his trunk at the foot of his bed until he found what he was looking for. The photo album Hagrid had given to him in his first year.

Hagrid must of made sure there was no trace of Melony or Bridget in any of these pictures, because from what he could tell, he was indeed the only Potter child. However, now that he examined them more intently, he did notice that some of the pictures of him as a baby were neatly torn or cut in places. He must have been with one of his sisters at those times. He wondered whether Hagrid still had the other half's…

His eye fell upon a picture at his parents wedding. A smiling, handsome man, standing with James and Lily. Sirius Black.

Anger flooded his body, not unlike the anger he had felt towards Dumbledore earlier that day. But this anger, Harry was certain he could not erase with forgiveness.

If Sirius Black hadn't sold Lily and James to Voldemort, he would of never had to go to the Dursley's. His parents would still be alive, and he could live with them, and Bridget and Melony.

He remembered at the train station, telling him not to go looking for Black. He had always wondered why everyone thought he would go looking for someone who wanted to kill him, and know he understood why. They thought he would want to avenge his parent's death. They were right.

_I hope he finds me. _Harry thought to himself. _I hope he does, because when he does, I'm gonna kill him!_

It's clear to say, Harry didn't get much sleep that night. His dreams kept drifting off to Sirius Black. He saw his face; right along side a cloaked figure at the entrance to his house the evening his parents died.

By the time he had woken up, he was drenched with sweat.

"When did you get back last night?" Ron asked as Harry drew his bed hangings. "I waited up for awhile, but you were taking so long."

"I dunno, after midnight I guess."

"Well?"

"Well what?"

"What did Dumbledore want from you and Melony?"

"Oh," Harry said, busying himself with his shoes. "I think I should probably wait until Melony's here. It involves her a lot."

Ron's face fell. "Oh, well, yah I guess, but I really didn't want to have to show my face around her again. She probably thinks I'm some sort of freak."

Harry shook his head. "Nah, she wants to be friends with you, but nothing more. Just try to forget about yesterday, and talk to her like, I dunno, Hermione."

Ron nodded. "You're right Harry. I just have to face her."

"There you go."

Hermione was the only one down in the common room. She had a book open as usual, and was working on some sort of essay.

"Hermione, we haven't even had breakfast yet, and your already doing homework."

"Good morning to you too," she said.

She turned to Harry. "Where were you yesterday? Did your meeting with Dumbledore really take that long?"

"Yup."

"Well, what did he want?"

"He had to tell Melony and me something really important. I'll tell you when she gets down."

Hermione stood up. "Oh, sorry Harry, I've only just remembered I have to go to the library. I left my book there last night, and I really need it."

"Hermione-"

But Hermione had already left the common room.

"She's overworking it mate," Ron said. "I mean she's probably the only one who studies in the library before breakfast."

"She's not going to the library Ron," came Melony's voice from the girl's staircase. "She's avoiding me."

"Oh." Ron said, a tad red in the face. "How-how come?"

"We go in a bit of a row."

"Over what?"

"Um, I'd rather not say. But I feel really awful about it."

"So then talk with her," Harry said. "Just do something so she doesn't keep running out every time we mention your name."

"Yah, yah I'll try. Maybe during Divination or Ancient Runes…"

"Good idea."

"So what were you gonna tell me Harry? Melony's here now."

Melony gave Harry a look that said, _tell him_ _now? _

Harry nodded.

"What were you going to tell me?" repeated Ron.

"Well, it was a huge shock to us," began Melony. "I mean we had no idea."

"No idea about what?"

Melony took a deep breath, "You know my last name is Potter, right?"

Ron nodded. "But what's that got to do with anything? It's just a coincidence."

"It's not a coincidence Ron," Harry said.

"What do you-"

"We're twins."

Ron looked at them in awe. "You're twins?"

"Yup," Harry and Melony said together.

"Blimey. You're just finding this out now?"

"Her and Bridget, who's my other sister, had to be separated from me so they would be protected for Voldemort's supporters."

Ron cringed at Voldemort's name, then said, "Wow. That's not something you find out about everyday is it?'

Melony laughed. "Suppose it isn't."

"Yah, at least now I know I don't just have the Dursley's."

"Oh damn," Melony said. "I forgot my bag upstairs. I'll be right back."

As soon as Melony was out of sight, Ron said, "Sorry about yesterday mate."

"Huh? What'd you do?"

"You know. I, er, asked her out. I mean it's like an unwritten rule that friends can't go after friend's sisters."

Harry grinned. "It's alright Ron, I didn't know she was my sister then so you technically didn't do anything wrong. Besides, she said no. Now had she said yes, it would've been a different story…"

Ron smiled. "Yah, I know I'd be pretty mad if you went after Ginny. Mind you, it'd make her happy."

"What's this about Harry and Ginny?" Melony asked, coming back downstairs with her bag.

"Nothing, just joking around."

"Right, well classes start in half an hour so we should probably hurry and get to breakfast."

Ron and Harry nodded, and the three of them made their way down to the Great Hall.

"Is it just me, or are all the teachers staring at us?" Harry whispered to Melony.

She looked up at the teacher's table. Indeed, all of their eyes seemed to be focused on the two siblings.

"Guess they know about us," Melony said. "Dumbledore must've told them."

With the professor's still watching them, Harry and Melony took their seats with Ron at the end of the table.

Shortly after they had started their breakfast, the bell rang, and students hastily got up and started towards their lessons. History of Magic was first for the Gryffindors, and since Hermione would most likely sit with them, or at least Harry and Ron, Melony figured this would be a good time to try to soothe things over with her.

She was wrong. Hermione did sit with them, but she was such an intent note taker, she saw Melony's attempts to talk with her as more of a reason to ignore her.

_She'll have to talk to me in Divination, _Melony thought as she climbed the stairway to the north tower. _It's not like she likes those lessons. _

Professor Trelawney burst into tears as Harry and Melony entered her room through the trapdoor.

"So long apart!" she wailed as she flung her arms around both of them. "But the fates have finally brought harmony among you!"

"Um, I guess they did." Melony said as Trelawney continued to sob into her shoulder.

When she finally released them, Harry and her exchanged glances. Ron was trying hard not to laugh, while Hermione looked confused.

"Hermione, can I talk to you?" Melony asked as she sat down across from her.

Hermione didn't respond. Thankful that Ron was at the table next to them, and couldn't hear her, she said, "Hermione. There's nothing going on between Ron and me. We're friends. That's all. He just did something spur of the moment yesterday, he didn't mean it."

Hermione still didn't say anything, she just kept staring at her open Divination book.

"I know he likes you, but he's a boy, so it'll take him a couple years before his brain finally realizes it."

Hermione gave a small smile. "I'm sorry Melony. I don't know what got into me yesterday."

"Don't be sorry. I'd be mad if the boy I liked did that."

"I don't like him," she said quietly. "He's rude and obnoxious and thick headed and…"

"Okay, okay," Melony said. "I get the picture."

"I only got upset, I guess, because, I don't know, you're so perfect."

"Hermione, I told you. I'm not perfect. Nobody is, but your way closer than I am. I mean you saw my transfiguration…"

"I'm not talking about brains Melony. When I first started out here, nobody talked to me. People thought I was just an annoying know-it-all. But you came all the was from Yettsi's, and everyone instantly love you."

"Yah, only because I made friends with you and Harry and Ron. If I hadn't sat in your compartment on the train, trust me, no one would even know me."

"Let's begin," Trelawney said at last. "We're going to keep with our tea reading. This time though, we will be reading them more in depth. Same partners as last time if you please."

"Bye," Melony said as she got up and moved to Harry's table.

"Did you make up with her?" Harry asked as Melony sat down.

"Yah."

"Good. At least now she wont be hiding out in the library for breakfast."

"I really don't want to do this," Melony said as she sipped her tea. "After last time and all."

"What? With the Grim?"

"Yah. I mean I didn't believe her or anything, but I though it was a bit annoying."

"Same here, just make something up and hopefully she'll by it."

"Alright then," she said, reaching across the table for Harry's cup. "It looks like a daisy, which according to the book means, the love of your life is closer than you think, but you can't tell."

"Terrific. You have sort of a star shape, so apparently you'll have bad luck for 2 weeks every full moon for the next year."

"Nice. So now what?"

Harry shrugged. "Guess we're done."

Melony sighed. "I still can't believe we're twins."

"Me neither. It was all just so sudden. I've lived with the Dursleys for practically my whole life, and know I find out I had family I'll probably like much better."

"Are the Dursley's really that horrible?"

"Yup. They hate all magic, so they pretty much just shut me up in my room and pretend I don't exist."

A thought suddenly came to Melony. "Hey! Maybe you can leave them now, come live with us!"

"I wish, but you heard what Dumbledore said, I have to stay with the Dursley's because they have our mum's blood in them, or Aunt Petunia does anyways."

"But Bridget has mum's blood too. She has a little house on the outskirts of St. Windelburgs."

Harry perked up. "You'd think she'd let me?"

"Yes, and you'll be able to meet Aunt Marrisa and Uncle Ray and Ally and Lexie, and then Sammi can finally see you in person. You can come stay winter break too!"

Professor Trelawney came over and peered at them, tears in her eyes still. "The fates have made such a wise choice on reuniting you two!"

Harry and Melony rolled their eyes, but Trelawney was too busy looking at their cups to see them.

"What've got here?"

"Oh," Melony said taking Harry's cup again. "He has a daisy so Harry's lover is really obvious, but he can't tell who it is."

"Ahhh, the daisy," Trelawney breathed deeply. "Many make the mistake of associating it with lost love, but we true Seers know better. The daisy is actually one of the most horrible death omens know to man. Many who come across it, don't live long enough to even smell its fragrance."

"Really? I went through a whole meadow of daisies last month, so either that's not true or I'm immune to death."

Harry had to duck under the table to stop Trelawney from seeing his face. She ignored the comment though.

"And you dear boy? What did you see in her cup?"

"Well she had a star," he said, struggling to keep a straight face. "So she'll have bad luck during full moons."

"Oh dear, bad luck doesn't even begin to describe it," she said sadly. "Your aura has been tainted by some unknown force the only thing you can do is at the time of full moons is don't have any contact with the outside world. Don't get out of bed, have a supply of food and water near you, and talk with no one. But don't worry, during your absence, I will excuse you from my class."

And with that, she left and headed over to Lavender and Pavarti.

"What a load of rubbish," Melony said.

"Yah, I'm starting to regret picking this class."

Hermione and Melony bid goodbye to Ron and Harry as they made their way to Ancient Runes, ignoring Ron's comment on how Hermione also had Care of Magical Creatures this period too.

"The homework she gave us last time was really tough," Hermione said as they walked to the class. "I think I missed the translation for Wealth and mixed up Prosper and Unity."

"Still did better than me probably," Melony said grimly. "I ended up translating my sentence to: The dog had poor harmony but won evil."

It felt so much better to be on speaking terms with Hermione. She missed having a girl to talk with and joke around with, even though the fight only lasted about two days.

"Hand in the homework please," Professor Harthwith said as they entered the room. "Than read pages 43-56."

Melony got through about half the first page before her mind began to wander. Hermione was still reading the book, trying to grasp every detail.

_If I knew this class would be so hard I would've token Magical Creatures or something, _Melony thought miserably.

Her mind drifted back to Harry. Her twin. It was still odd saying that. Her twin. She had always wondered what being a twin would be like. She used to envy these two girls from her own school who were twins, and they were always laughing and talking together. That could've been her and Harry, had Black not have gone and sold her parents out. Hatred for Black pounded through her body. He was the reason she had no parents, and didn't even know of her twin until yesterday. He was the reason her brother had to go live with their awful aunt and uncle. He ripped their family apart just to please Voldemort. It was then and there that Melony made a decision. If she ever, ever got a hold of Black, she would make him pay…

"Melony?"

Melony snapped back into reality. "Huh?"

"We have to work in pairs and translate the paragraph of page 59," Hermione told her.

She looked down at the page in Hermione's open book.

When the Wind blows, secrets move and everything can change. But the things we may see, can mislead us to believe the secrets are true and weellmakemistakestocoverthemupinlies.

"I know that part right there means wind," Hermione said, indicating the top sentence.

"The last part is about lies," said Melony, scanning the section, and something about a cover."

"Yes, I see it too, but what about the middle? I can't figure out is we're supposed to depict the symbols after the Huyit mark together or separately."

"Me neither, but I know that part translates to secrets."

"That there means mistakes."

After about ten minutes of analyzing the section, Melony sighed in defeat. "Can you get anymore?"

Hermione shook her head. "Just pieces of it. Like I know that rune means not and that one means see, but nothing really helpful."

"I guess we'll have to work with what we got."

Hermione studied the section once more.

"I suppose it could mean, it's a long shot though, the wind blows secrets to us that we can't see, but we cover them with lies."

"That makes sense. It may not be word for word, but at least we can get the jest of it."

"Time!" called out Professor Harthwith. "I'll come around to correct your mistakes."

They had just scribbled down their answer just as she came to their table.

"Not bad at all ladies," she said, reading the answer. "You missed a few points, but the major idea is there. Just make sure you keep everything on the left of the Rulions separate and everything after the Huyit together unless there's a Tungio in it."

She moved onto the next table, and Hermione put her head into her hands. "Oooo, I knew I should've re-read that part last night. But I had three diagrams for Muggles Studies and those Goblin essays for Binns…"

"Hermione, don't you think you should drop a few classes? You seem kind of stressed."

Her head shot up. "I couldn't do that! No, I think I just need to study more."

Melony wanted to argue with her, but seeing as she only got back on Hermione's good side, she didn't want to push it.

"I forgot to ask you," she said suddenly. "What happened in Dumbledore's office yesterday? Harry said it involved you and him. Ron was about to tell me, but Trelawney came and cut him off."

"Oh," Melony said. She had nearly forgotten Hermione still didn't know. "I really need to wait for Harry to come before I tell you."

Hermione nodded. "At lunch then?"

"Yes."

Hermione waved goodbye as the two reached the Charms room, and made her way outside to the grounds, but she returned with Ron and Harry a few seconds later.

Her and Ron seemed to be arguing about something.

"Scabbers is getting old Hermione! Why can't you train that bloody cat of yours to stay away from him?"

"Ron he's a cat, they chase rats!"

"If you shut him up in your room-"

"That's cruel Ron, he needs to be able to stretch his legs a bit."

"Scabber's is missing," Harry explained at Melony's confused look.

"He's not missing, he's dead! All due to that cat."

Just as the four were about to enter the classroom, Professor McGonagall came marching towards them.

"You two," she said, pointing at Harry and Melony. "Need to come with me."

"Why Professor?" Harry asked. "Is something wrong?"

"Kindly discard any questions right now Mister Potter, and follow me to my office."

The twins said a quick goodbye to Ron and Hermione, and walked behind Professor McGonagall, or rather jogged, because she was moving at a very quick pace.

"What'd you reckon is going on?" Harry whispered to Melony.

"Don't know, I thought we found out everything we needed to yesterday."

"Maybe Dumbledore forgot something."

"Yah, maybe we have a triplet out there."

McGonagall stopped in front of a room, which Harry recognized as her office. She opened the door, to reveal many worried looking people, but Melony and Harry only knew two. Dumbledore, and the Minister of Magic, Cornelius Fudge. But there was also a blonde man with a bulging stomach, a woman with a messy appearance, and someone who looked to be only a few years younger than Dumbledore. The door opened again, and Professor Lupin came rushing in.

"Just got the message, I have Wilhelmina looking after my class for me. Any news on her yet?"

"Nothing new yet Remus," said the old man. "We have half our Aurrors out looking as we speak, though we're positive who did it."

Melony and Harry were both still lost, but didn't say anything.

Cornelius Fudge seemed to just realize Harry and Melony were there.

"Does the boy know about him and his relationship to the girls? He asked Dumbledore in an undertone.

"Yes Cornelius, I told all three of them only yesterday. I also alerted them to why Black is after them."

"Oh, yes I see."

"Excuse me Professor Dumbledore," Harry said finally. "But why are me and Melony here?"

"This is bad news for both of you," Dumbledore said gravely. "Very bad."

"What?" Melony asked in a quiet voice.

He walked over and put a gentle hand on each of their shoulders.

"Your sister Bridget is missing."


	11. Black's newest victim

"She's missing?"

"Missing as in lost?" Harry asked hopefully, but knowing that was not the case. "Or missing as in kidnapped?"

Fudge took a deep breath. "There were signs of a struggle in her office. Chairs knocked over, papers flown everywhere, the desk was flipped completely over."

"And don't forget the wall," the messy looking woman said, as though she was discussing the latest gossip. "The wall was gruesome."

"Er yes, thank you Berha," Fudge said uncomfortably. "There was, um, a bit of blood smeared on the wall, but don't assume the worst based on that," he said at Harry and Melony's expressions. "That could easily be from a broken nose or just a small cut."

"Oh, don't say that Fudge," Bertha said. "I haven't seen so much blood since my supply of Dragon Blood fell off the shelf."

"Thank you Bertha, but you don't know that is Bridget's blood. Could very well be her attackers, seeing as she put up a struggle."

"Not likely Fudge. That pretty little thing is probably weaker than anything. The day she spills someone's blood in a fight is the day the dead walk again."

"Ah, is very tough," the blonde man spoke up, stepping forward. "Reminded me a bit of a Sphinx."

"Exactly Ludo," Fudge nodded, then turned to the twins. "Ludo Bagman here is the head of the department where your sister works."

"Ah yes, I trusted with my most important information. Always ready to do more."

"How long has she been missing?" Melony asked in a teary voice.

"She came into the office last night," Bagman said, his cheery tone now gone, replaced with a troubled one. "Had some paperwork to do and forms to give to Bertha, she arrived close to midnight."

"Ahem," Bertha cleared her throat. "I'm the one who saw her last. Just before two, when she came into my office to give me the paperwork I needed."

"Naturally, we have our Aurror teams searching restlessly for her," Fudge pressed on, ignoring her. "Though it's pretty obvious who's behind this."

"Sirius Black," the twins answered simultaneously.

"Yes."

Lupin gave a wary cough, but said nothing.

"As I was saying," Bertha said, annoyed that her story was interrupted. "I was the last one to see Potter before the attack. I was working on arranging the campsites for the Quidditch World Cup next year, and she came in with more names of people who had bought tickets, told me that we still needed to find site directors, then left. I was feeling overwhelmed with all this work, so I decided to go home."

"Were you two the only ones in the Department at the time?" the old man inquired.

"Yes I believe so," Bertha said absentmindedly, still focusing on her tale. "So I passed by her office on the way out, and stopped by to say goodnight. She wasn't working when I came in, just looking at some old scrapbook. I asked when she would be leaving, and she said around 4. So I left her, and took the Floo home, though I nearly broke my neck tripping over something near the fireplaces."

"When exactly did you discover the mangled office?" the old man questioned.

"About 7 this morning, when I got into the office. Mr. Bagman told me to get her files on the United States Quidditch match against Germany so he could record it into the World Cup files. Her office door was barricaded and I had to use a spell to push it open. I saw the disaster, and called for help immediately."

"It doesn't add up," the old man sighed. "How would Black be able to get into the Ministry? We have spells lined up at every entrance and the Floo networks are being watched. The last person to have come into the Ministry via Floo powder last night was Bridget."

"Harry, Melony this Rufus Scrimgeour, head of the Aurror department at the Ministry," Fudge introduced them.

Harry had no idea what an Aurror was, but he supposed it was an important branch at the Ministry.

"Black has ways of deceiving people Scimgeour," Lupin said, coming out of the corner he had been watching from. "He fooled many people years ago, he can do it again."

"But everybody knows his ways now," Scrimgeour argued. "Only a blundering idiot would get within talking distance of him anyways." His eyes shifted slightly to Bertha.

"Oh, I don't think Remus is suggesting that Black got into the Ministry last night with the help of a worker," Dumbledore finally spoke.

"I should hope not," Fudge huffed.

"I think he is implying that Black might have outsmarted your security systems."

"Impossible," Scimgeour spat. "My top Aurrors worked days on end preparing them. They can pick up so much as a tiptoe coming into the Ministry!"

"I taught Black myself Minister," McGonagall said, her voice soft and soothing, quite unlike Melony had ever heard it before. "He was a fantastic wizard. Take my word, if he wanted to get in to the Ministry badly enough, he would've found a way to get in."

Scrimgeour looked absolutely scandalized at the thought that his ingenious magic had been outsmarted.

"It's crucial that the topmost security be placed around the castle then," Fudge said. "The Dementors are only a single line of defense, Black's already proven he can get pass them."

"The school has plenty of defenses Minister," McGonagall said sharply, her usual tone back.

"I'm only saying Minerva, that the school would benefit from some, extra precautions."

"We have Albus Dumbledore," she said, her nostrils flaring. "He's all we need."

"Thank you for your loyalty Minerva," Dumbledore said. "But if the Minister feels more steps need to be taken to assure the safety of our students, I would be glad to here what he has to suggest."

"Um, well," Fudge said, caught off guard. "You were the only one You-Know-Who ever feared. I suppose if you're here, and there's protection like Minerva said there is, the Ministry can intrude no more. The dementors stay though."

"Very well Cornelius, despite how I feel about the creatures, the school will continue to house them.

"I hope everyone realizes how important it is for these two to stay within the castle grounds at all times," Srimgeour said. "One of the Potter children are already Black's grasp. We can't have anymore."

"Yes, unfortunately that means our weapon of having the girls unknown to Voldemort's supporters is destroyed. Black will have surely told everyone who can help him get them by know." Ludo chimed in.

"I understand that Ludo," Dumbledore said. "And I appreciate your concern for the children Rufus. I hope you'll trust Hogwarts to do everything imaginable to keep all of our students safe."

Scrimgeour gave a short nod, and then turned to Fudge. "We're due back at the Ministry, Minister."

"Ah, right, we have a lot to sort out, though I wish people would stop telling me over and over again that they spotted vermin in the offices this morning. Really, with all that's going on, don't I have enough to worry about? A simple vanishing spell would've cleared them, but no, everyone insists on blaming me."

"I know the feeling," Dumbledore smiled.

"Well, goodbye Professors, Harry, Melony. Mind if we use you fireplace Minerva?"

"By all means," she replied.

One by one, the Ministry workers disappeared into the green flames of the fireplace.

"Professor," Melony asked at once. "You don't think that there could be some chance that Bridget isn't, you know, do you?"

Dumbledore stared at her, sympathy written all over his face.

"I don't know Melony. I don't know. Your sister, despite what Bertha said, was a remarkable witch. She knew how to take care of herself."

Melony didn't find that all too reassuring. She felt like herself, Dumbledore was assuming the worst.

"Care for a cup of tea in my office you two?" Lupin asked. "Might make you feel better?"

The twins nodded, as Dumbledore and McGonagall left the office, whispering to each other seriously.

Harry felt awful for his elder sister, but as looked at the face the Melony had, he knew she must be feeling much worse. For he had only known Bridget for a day, and though he loved her very much already, it was clear that Bridget and Melony were especially close.

Entering Lupin's office, Harry was momentarily distracted, looking around at Lupin's office, but when Lupin told them to sit down, his sad feeling overcame him again.

"I understand how you two must feel," Lupin said as he poured three cups of tea. "First you lose your parents, and now your sister is missing, far too much for any child to loose."

The twins remained silent. "I knew them," he continued. "Your parents, that is."

"How?" Melony asked softly.

"Your father and I were good friends in school."

"Hold on," Harry said. "If you knew our father, you must've known Black."

He sighed. "Yes, I did know him, or at least I thought I did."

He was silent for bit then said, "Try not to worry to much about your sister. I know it may be hard, but she'll give Black a run for his money with her skills. I remember when she was only 5, she wasn't able to control her magic, no one that age can, and she got angry at your father for taking away one of her toys, she made him levitate 10 feet in the air."

They gave small smiles. "She was always crying to your mum and dad about how she wanted a little brother or sister to play with. She was so happy when your mum told her she was pregnant. Though she didn't know she'd be getting two siblings."

"What do you mean?" Harry questioned.

"Your mum insisted on going to a muggle doctor during her pregnancy. They told her she was only going to be having one baby, Melony. They didn't find out about you until you were born. Gave your mum a nasty shock, but you dad was ecstatic. He always wanted a son."

Hearing about his parents made Harry feel odd. A good sort of odd though, it was proof that they were actually alive at some point.

"It took the whole gang to look after you two when you were babies. Me, your dad, Sirius and Peter."

"Peter?"

Lupin suddenly changed expressions. "Yes, Peter was another friend of your fathers. He's dead though."

"Dead?' the twins gasped.

"Yes, it was horrible. He had always looked up to James and Sirius. But them moment he found out what Black had done, he marched right over to Black and had a go at him. Yelled for the whole street of muggles to hear, that he had betrayed them."

"What did Black do?" Melony asked, mesmerized by this.

"He blaster poor Peter dead," Lupin said sadly. "Him and 12 other muggles. It was such a powerful curse that the only bit they ever found of Peter was his finger."

"How could Black have gone so wrong?" Melony asked furiously. "How could he do this to his friends?"

"I don't know Melony. I suppose he was drawn by the power. He was a great wizard. Perhaps he thought he could do better than just fight the Dark Arts."

Within a few more minutes, the tea was finished, and dinner down in the Great Hall was just starting.

"You two should probably get to dinner," Lupin said getting up. "I'll have to miss it tonight, but I'll see you in class tomorrow."

"Thanks for everything Professor," Harry said gratefully.

"Yes, thanks," Melony said.

A soon as they got outside the office, Melony said, "Black was so evil! I hope the dementors get him!"

"I wouldn't mind a go at him," Harry said darkly. "I'd like to get revenge myself."

"So would I."

"But I don't get. Why would he want to kill you and Bridget? I'm the one who got rid of Voldemort."

"Maybe he thinks we have something to do with it."

News of Black's newest victim hadn't reached the news yet; students were chatting on about frivolous things. Spotting Hermione and Ron, the twins went and sat down.

"What was it this time?" Hermione asked as soon as they got there. "If you two keep getting pulled out of lessons, you'll fail your exams. I have both your make up work so you can-"

"Bridget's missing," Melony cut in.

"Your sister?" Hermione asked in a horrified tone.

"Yes, her whole office at the Ministry was ransacked, and blood was smeared on the wall."

"That's terrible!" Ron said, looking shocked.

"Do they have any idea who might have done it?" Hermione asked curiously.

"We all know it was Black."

"Black? But I thought he was keeping a low profile until he found Harry."

"Yah, well, I guess now he's targeting my family too."

"Your family?"

"Oh that's right, she doesn't know," Melony said.

"Know what?"

"What Dumbledore had to tell us yesterday. You see, me and Harry are twins."

"Twins?'

"Yes, I know it may be hard to believe but-"

"I knew it!"

"Huh?"

"I thought there must be something connected between you two," she explained. "You both seemed so in sync with one another. And then that day when Melony told me she saw herself flying over the lake just as Harry was doing it, my suspicions went up even more."

"You could've told us," Harry said indignantly.

"But I wasn't certain. I did loads of research on magical twins, which are really different than muggle twins, and found out they can get in each others heads really easily. They share thoughts, ideas, dreams-"

"You did all that on top of all your other homework?" Ron asked, looking impressed. "That's amazing Hermione!"

Hermione gave a small smile and became very interested in her chicken. "Thank you Ron,"

"But Black must've been insane to try anything at the Ministry," Ron continued. "There must be a ton of security and everything."

"That's what's so disturbing. They don't know how he got in. Everything is being monitored."

Ron looked uncomfortable. "But if he can get into the Ministry, who's to say he can't get into Hogwarts?"

Melony and Harry looked at each other, this thought troubling them. "But Dumbledore is here," Melony said.

"Yes, he's the only one You-Know-Who-Feared," Hermione agreed.

Though Melony had tried to reassure herself that Hogwarts was safe, she couldn't help thinking in the back of her mind, that Black would do ANYTHING to get his hands on her and Harry.


	12. The news is out

Almost a week had passed, and there was still no sign of Bridget. Like Harry suspected, Melony seemed to be much more disturbed by the news then he was. Both of them were already drowning in make up work, which they had to fit around Quidditch practices, but she was also frantically searching the Prophet looking for some clue as to where she might be, but her disappearance wasn't even mentioned.

"Fudge probably doesn't want the public to know Black's active," Hermione said as the four walked down to breakfast. "Stupid thing to do, but I suppose he doesn't want to jeopardize his job."

"Harry? Is it true?" asked Neville, running up to them as they entered the Great Hall.

"Is what true?"

"That you and Melony are twins? And that you have another sister who's been kidnapped by Black?"

"Where'd you hear that?" Melony questioned, hoping that maybe he could give her even the slightest bit of information about Bridget, since he appeared to know about it.

"It's all over the Prophet. Front page. So is it true then?"

"Yes," Harry said, distractedly. "You don't happen to have a copy of that article do you Neville?"

"Here," he said handing it to him. "I have to go tell Seamus it's true he thought it was a misprint. It's okay if I do that right?"

"Sure, sure."

"What's it say?" Hermione asked eagerly as they sat down, Melony and Harry getting stares from all over the Hall.

He read it aloud.

_Sirius Black is returning to his old ways, much to the Ministry's dismay, _

_Ministry worker, Bridget Potter, who many don't know is the elder sister of Harry Potter, _

_and his twin sister Melony, (full story page 12C) was forcefully token out of her_

_office early in the morning, nearly a week ago. _

"_It's an outrage that we're only finding out about this now!" says Ruddy Bleaker, who was a neighbor of Ms. Potter. "We have the right to know if Black is killing again. I for one hope the Ministry has a plan to make sure that the girl is the last one who falls victim to Black. We can't risk losing someone important."_

_Why has Fudge been covering up these disappearances? He refused to confirm an interview, and when inquired about the disappearance, all he said was; "Black is the primary focus of the Ministry right now, but rest assure, he will be caught." _

"I've never liked that Bleaker bloke," Melony said, as he finished reading. "He's a grumpy old man. Go to the other page, I want to see what they said about us."

Harry flipped the page.

**Potter's live on**

_Harry Potter, age 13, was thought to be the sole survivor of the famous attack on the Potters by He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named 12 years ago. Yet it has only become known to the public, and Harry himself recently, that that is indeed not the case. Bertha Jerkins, when asked about the eldest Potter child , didn't give any details on that, but opened up about a recent twist in her life. _

"_She was just reunited with her brother," she told us. "Young Harry Potter."_

_Jerkins said to have gotten her facts straight from the Minister himself. "From what he said, Bridget, and her sister, Melony Potter, who just so happens to be Harry Potter's twin sister, were forced to be separated on Dumbledore's orders for "protection""_

_Is this another one of Dumbledore's so called "brilliant ideas "for this protection seems to be a bit faulty._

"So Bertha blabbed huh?" she said as she finished reading. "She seemed a bit chatty when we net her."

"But she has a point," Harry said. "Dumbledore's protection doesn't look like it's working for Bridget."

"Well, yah because no one is there to die for her. That's what made the protection after all, the fact Aunt Marrisa would sacrifice herself for us like mum did for you."

"Dumbledore looks pretty upset," Hermione said, looking up at the teacher's table.

"Well Bertha didn't prove to be too trustworthy," Ron reasoned.

"At least she stayed quiet about what she saw in the office," Harry mumbled.

"This is really weird," Melony whispered to Harry as they made their way to Herbology. "Everyone keeps staring at us."

"So Harry, Melony," said Fred and George coming up next to them. "Is the Prophet telling the truth for a change?"

"About us being twins? Yah, it's true," Harry told them.

"Wicked," the said in unison. "You'll soon find all the advantages to being a twin."

"Like what?"

"That, I think is better discovered than told," George said as he winked at them.

"But sorry to hear about your other sister," said Fred. "Shame that Black got her."

"Thanks," said Melony, looking down.

"Well, see you around then." And the two headed off to Hagrid's hut for a Magical Creatures lesson.

The Hufflepuffs, who shared the greenhouse with the Gryffindors, were also abuzz with the fact that Melony and Harry were twins.

"Is it true?"

"Are you really twins?"

"Does she have a scar too?"

"Honestly!" huffed Melony, as the four gathered around their set of plants. "Does every person read the paper?"

"Well it's big news," said Hermione.

"Still, I don't like getting all this attention. It makes me feel like some sort of-"

"Freak?" Harry finished for her.

"Exactly. How do you do it?"

"Just sort of shrug it off."

"All right chaps!" Professor Sprout said, as the students reluctantly directed their attention away from Harry and Melony. "Get back to working on your soil deposits. Mr. Longbottom and Ms. Granger remain the only ones who can tell me the difference between dragon manure and actual fertilizer."

All the classes that day were like Herbology was. Heads turned as the twins entered a classroom, and whispers erupted until the teacher came in.

But Potions was by far the worst. While the rest of the school seemed to think it was unusual, yet amazing at the same time, the sneers from the Slytherins showed that they believed something else.

As Snape sent them to work on a hiccupping potion, the Slytherins used this as a prime time to make their remarks.

"Have to share your fame now Potter?"

"Another glory hound?"

They easily ignored these remarks, concentrating hard on placing the correct amount of squid ink, but then Malfoy came right up to them.

"Just what we all need. Another Potter, thought the lot was nearly gone."

"Shove off Malfoy," said Ron fiercely.

"Should've realized this after those dementors got the best of you. Only a Potter could let something like that get to them."

Still, Harry tried desperately not to give into Malfoy's taunting.

"But you better hope she doesn't fall the same way the other one did, of course in my opinion, the less Potter's around the better."

That did it for both of them. Grabbing their wands they pointed them straight at Malfoy's neck.

"Take it back Malfoy," said Harry through his clenched teeth.

"You're a piece of low life scum," Melony said.

"What seems to be the problem here?" Snape asked, in same loathsome voice.

"They attacked me Professor," said Malfoy, his pointed face filled with satisfaction. "Out of nowhere."

"We didn't even do anything!" Melony cried. "We just had our wands out."

"And he's the one who started the whole thing!" Harry pointed out, even though he knew Snape wouldn't care.

"Twenty points from Gryffindor," he said curtly. "But, ah, since both of the famous Potter twins decided to act out in my classroom, better make it 40. And a detention a piece as well." And with that, he turned and backed away. Malfoy gave a smirk, and headed back to his cauldron, which Pansy Parkson was waiting anxiously next to.

"I hate him so much!" Melony fumed as they left the dungeons.

"Malfoy or Snape?" Harry asked.

"Both of them! Snape knew Malfoy was the one at fault, I know he did!"

"He favors the Slytherins," Ron said. "Get used to it."

As soon as they entered the Great Hall, they were greeted by an eager looking Oliver Wood.

"Hurry up and eat you two," he said, indicating Melony and Harry. "I have some new techniques I want to go over before practice tonight."

"At least with all these practices you'll be bound to beat Slytherin," Hermione said, cutting her roast beef.

"We'd better, If Slytherin wins, Malfoy will be unbearable."

After saying goodbye to Ron and Hermione, Melony and Harry ran off to the locker room to meet the rest of the team.

"Now that we have the full team," Wood said as they began pulling on their red robes. "We can finally begin going over our-" But he was interrupted by Angelina, "Are Fred and George telling the truth about you two? You're really twins?"

Wood made an annoyed sound, but he looked rather intent on hearing what the response would be.

"Yes," said Harry, for what felt like the hundredth time that day.

"As I was saying," Wood continued. "Our first match against Slytherin was cancelled. Instead we'll be playing Hufflepuff."

A roar of up break sounded from the team.

"I know it's an upset," he said. "But apparently their Seeker has some sort of injury to his arm and can't play."

"He's faking it," Melony said at once, Harry nodding in agreement.

"It doesn't matter. The point is that Hufflepuff has a completely different flying style, scoring technique-"

"Calm down Oliver," said Fred. "Last time Harry caught the Snitch in about five minutes."

"See, this is what I was afraid of. You're not taking this seriously. We'll be playing them in different conditions! We'll need to do some hard training to prepare."

"We're taking this seriously Oliver," Fred said. "Seriously."

By the time Oliver felt remotely satisfied with the team's efforts, it was hours after dinner, and everybody was so soaked that it was as though they had buckets of water dumped on them.

Melony and Harry wanted nothing more than to climb into their own, warm beds, but with two days of make up work to do, plus the homework they had just received, they knew it was going to be a long night.

"I still don't know what temperature does to mammals transfiguration," Melony sighed, as she attempted to write her Transfiguration essay.

"If an animal has a higher body temperature, then the amount of magic that has to be put into the spell is less than a mammal with a low body temperature," Hermione recited.

"That'll do," Melony said, scribbling this down. "Thanks Hermione."

"You can copy my Charms paper if you'd like," Ron said, throwing the piece of parchment down, and Harry quickly grabbed it.

"Still have those 10 inches to do for Binns on the Banshee hunt of 1235," Melony said glumly. "And Snape's report on shrinking potions."

"I'll do Snape's and you can copy it, and you can do Binn's and I'll copy it," Harry offered.

"That's not a bad idea," said Melony.

"Yes it is! You'll never learn if you just copy!" Hermione interjected.

"At this point I just want it done," said Melony, rolling up her Transfiguration essay.

"But there bound to be on our finals!"

"Give it a rest Hermione," Ron said, fishing around in his bag, looking for a quill, but gave a yell of surprise and pulled out Scabbers.

"I thought he was dead," Melony said as Scabbers gave a squeak of fright and dove into Ron's pocket.

"So did I," said Ron. "But I guess he was just hiding at the bottom of my bag this whole time."

"See, Crockshanks didn't eat him," Hermione said, crossing her arms and glaring at Ron.

Ron stared stupidly. "Oh yah, er I guess he didn't. Hang on a minute though," he picked up Scabbers, and began examining his tail. "It looks like something ruined his tail. Look, there's a huge gash up the side of it."

And indeed, his tail looked badly worn, and fragile.

"Crockshanks did have a go at him then," Ron said hotly to Hermione.

"That could be from anything. Being crushed by a book, someone stepping on him, or he could've gotten into a fight with another rat."

"Why can't you just admit that thing is vicious?!"

"Because he's not. He's a cat, and maybe if you were a bit more responsible with your pets, then they wouldn't get lost, and you wouldn't blame their "deaths" on others!"

"Yah well," Ron gaped.

"Now if you don't mind, I have about 300 pages to read by Monday for Muggle Studies, and I have to review for Ancient Runes," she held a book covering her face from view, and began reading.

"Well, I'm still 2 inches short," Melony announced after nearly an hour.

"Well that's because your writings tiny," Ron yawned, stretching his arms. "Write bigger next time."

"I guess I can throw in some junk about Yewona the second," she sighed. "I know she did something important. How's Potions coming?"

"I think it might get a passing grade," Harry said. "I can't figure out how many slices of dragon liver you put into a Silencing Potion, but the part on the counter and clockwise stirring is good."

After trading papers, and using the others content, the homework was finally done, but it was well past midnight.

"And to think at one point in my life, I actually got more than three hours of sleep," said Melony, rolling up her essays.

"Funny huh?" Harry shoved his books sloppily into his bag. "Goodnight then."

"Night," Melony said halfheartedly, finally conjuring up enough energy to get up. Hermione was still hard at work at the table next to them. "Aren't you coming up?"

"Later maybe," she replied, rapidly writing on a sheet of parchment that reached the floor. "I still need to do my reading for Ancient Runes."

"She didn't give us any reading."

"Yes I know she didn't assign us any, but after I completely butchered that translation in my last homework, I really need to put much more effort into the class."

"Hermione, you got the highest grade in the class on that! The only mistake you made was mixing up peace with harmony."

"Exactly, that could be on our finals, or even the O.W.L.'s, and I don't want that being the difference in me passing and failing."

Melony knew Hermione well enough to know that there was no arguing at this point.

"Well alright, I'll see you in the morning."

Hermione gave a quick nod, and went back to her paper.

October fell over the castle, and a new topic came to discussion among many of the students; the scheduled trip for Hogsmade on Halloween.

"Excellent!" said Ron as he read the bulletin. "I'll be able to stop off at Honeydukes!"

"Good timing too," said Fred as he cut through the crowd. "I'm nearly out of Zonko's stuff."

"Damn it," said Melony as she remembered something. "I gave my uncle the permission form, but I forgot to get it back from him."

"McGonagall will still let you go," said Harry, depressed. "Just have her send an owl to them or something."

"You're not going?"

"I blew up Uncle Vernon's sister before he signed the form."

"Ask McGonagall to make an exception," said Ron. "She knows what the Dursleys are like, right?"

"But if Sirius Black is on the loose, this could a perfect opportunity for him to get Harry," said Hermione, who had been absorbed in a book in an armchair next to them. "I mean it's one thing if Melony goes, she has permission, but Harry-"

"-can get permission from them too," Melony cut in. "They're his guardians too, remember."

"There you go then," said Ron happily, while Hermione looked uncertain.

"Relax Hermione," said Harry, who now seemed much more cheerful. "There's going to be tons of people there, Black wouldn't try anything there."

"But everyone also thought that the Ministry was safe too," she pointed out slowly. "And look what happened to your sister."

Melony's face fell, and Harry's face changed to a frown.

"But the Ministry was empty that night," said Ron, who was giving Hermione a dirty look.

"Yes but still Ron, they shouldn't-"

"Give it a rest Hermione. Let them make their own minds up."

"I want to ask," said Melony finally, after thinking it over. "Like Harry said, loads of people will be there, it'll be much harder for him to even find us, let alone kill us there."

Harry nodded in agreement. "We'll ask her tomorrow after the lesson."

As the Gryffindor students filed out of the Transfiguration classroom, Melony and Harry hung back. Harry looked towards the door at Ron, who mouthed, "Go for it!" and Hermione, who had a disapproving look on her face.

"Professor," he said as they walked up to her desk.

"Yes?" she answered shrewdly.

"See, er, Melony and I both sort of forgot to get our permission forms signed for Hogsmade," he explained cautiously.

She said nothing, but continued to stare at the two of them.

"And we were wondering if maybe you sent an owl to our aunt Marrisa," said Melony. "We'd be aloud to go."

"Funny you should mention Marrisa," she said, pulling open one of her drawers. "Because she wrote to me only yesterday." She pulled a piece of parchment out. "Yes here it is. She said that she is giving neither one of you permission to step foot in Hogsmade."

"Why?" asked Melony in a surprised voice. "She was going on about it all summer about how amazing it is there!"

"Yes but due to Bridget's disappearance, she doesn't want either of you to have any chance of going the same way."

"But-"

"I'm sorry Ms. Potter, but that is final. And Harry, she said that she hopes that you don't consider this a rude first impression of her, and she looks forward to seeing you at Christmas."

She stuffed the letter back in the drawer, the said in a soft tone, "I'm sorry, but we simply can't take any risk with Black."

"So did she agree to it?" Ron asked eagerly Melony and Harry caught up with him outside the classroom.

"No," Melony said sadly.

"What? How come?"

"Black," Harry answered.

"Should've asked Dumbledore," Ron sighed. "He like you both."

Melony shrugged. "Yah maybe."

Somehow the news spread around fast, that the twins weren't allowed to go to Hogsmade. While the Slytherins all snickered at this, the friendlier students tried to cheer them up, though Percy ended up making them feel worse.

"Hogsmade isn't as grand as everyone makes it out to be," he said the eve of the trip. "Sure Zonko's is good, and Huneydukes is something, and the Shrieking Shack is always worth a visit, but other than that, your really not missing out on anything."

With promises that they would bring the twins back something from Hogsmade, Ron and Hermione said their goodbyes, as they headed out of the castle, leaving Harry and Melony with nothing else to do except mope around.

"This is more the reason to hate Black," Melony fumed as they walked along the third floor. "First he goes and kidnaps Bridget, then he has to go and get everyone else so paranoid about it."

"I know," said Harry. Then he took a deep breath and asked a question that had been bothering him for some time. "Do you think that she's still alive?"

"Bridget? Of course."

"How can you be-"

"Think about it Harry. Black probably took Bridget to try to lure us to him. If he killed her, what reason would we have for trying to find her."

"It's not like we're aloud to search for him. He can't honestly think the teachers would let us a foot out of the grounds."

"Eh, all those years in Azkaban may have ruined his brain."

"Fancy running into you two here," said Professor Lupin, walking up behind them. "Thought you'd be back in your common room."

"We were on our way," said Melony. "We just got-"

"Sidetracked," he said with a grin. "Well care for another cup of tea? I just got something for our next lesson I'd like to show you."

Pouring them tea in the same cups they had weeks before, Lupin handed them their drinks and walked into the storage closet of his room, and came back carrying a tank filled with water. "Thought I'd teach you about fending off grindylows," he said, placing the tank down. "Water demons."

"Sir," Harry blurted out suddenly. "I was wondering, why in our first lesson you-"

"-stopped you from facing that boggart," he finished, nodding knowingly. "I thought it was obvious."

"Because of what happened to me on the train. I fainted at the dementor and you figured I was too weak to take on the boggart."

"Absolutly not," said Lupin. "I thought the thing you feared most would defiantly be Lord Voldemort. But it seems I was wrong."

"Yes, I thought of the dementor on the train."

"That says a lot for you Harry, it shows that the thing you fear most is fear itself."

"But do you know why they effect us like they do?" Melony spoke up. "No one else passes out."

"A dementor makes you relive your worst experiences in our heads. You have such hardship in our lives, especially you Harry. Hardships your classmates never could imagine. That's why the effect you like they do."

There was a knock at the door, and Snape walked into the room, carrying a steaming goblet.

"Ah, thank you Severus," Lupin said, accepting the goblet form him.

"It should be drank right away Remus," said Snape, his cold eyes staring at him.

"I'll do that, thank you."

Snape gave a last dark look around and swiftly left the office, the goblet still smoking and bubbling.

"Shame it can't have sugar added," said Lupin grimly. "But it makes the potion worthless." He held the glass up to his lips, and was about to take a sip, when Harry yelled, "No! Don't Professor."

Lupin looked at him curiously.

"It's just that, well Snape is very interested in your post."

"Is he?" Lupin said casually.

"Some say he'd do anything to get it," Harry continued, as Lupin took a sip.

"Disgusting," he said. "Well, it's been nice talking with you both. And don't worry to much about Hogsmade, there's always next year."

"Is he insane?" cried Melony as they closed his office door shut. "Snape probably poisoned that!"

"I can't believe Lupin has that much trust in Snape," said Harry as they climbed into the common room. "You'd think he'd check it before drinking it."

"Here you go," Ron and Hermione dumped a mountain of candy onto their laps, just coming back from Hogsmade, looking wind bitten, but both had huge smiles on their faces. "Everything we could carry."

The four made their way down for the feast, Ron and Hermione still going on about Hogsmade.

"The Shrieking Shack was by far the best," said Ron as they sat down. "It's supposed to be the most haunted house in Britain."

After having second helpings of everything, Harry and Melony told them about Snape, and the potion he gave Lupin.

"Lupin's going to be dead by next week," said Ron. "Snape obviously put something in there."

"He wouldn't _kill _Lupin Ron. Dumbledore trusts him, and that should be good enough for us."

Still, looking up at the teachers, Harry noticed Lupin did look a bit paler, and Snape did seem to be looking at him more than often.

Getting up and starting to the common room, Hermione and Ron bickered over whether or not Snape was evil.

There was a big blockade of people in front of the portrait of the Fat Lady.

"What's all the commotion?" Percy yelled, sliding through the crowd. "You can't all have forgotten the password." He was quiet for a moment, and then called out, "someone go and get professor Dumbledore. Quickly!"


	13. Chapter 13

"What's going on?" Melony asked, standing on the tips of her feet, in hope of getting a better view. "Why do we need Dumbledore?"

"I don't know, but Percy sounded really worried," said Ron, who was also trying to see over the crowd. "So it can't be good."

Then suddenly, the once noisy crowd of Gryffindors quieted down, and Harry saw why. Dumbledore had just reached the top of the staircase, his pointed hat visible through the many heads.

Melony gave a faint gasp, as she craned her neck over a group of second years. "Oh my god," she said weakly. "Come look!"

Cramming together, Harry, Ron and Hermione followed Melony's gaze, and saw what had startled her. The frame that usually occupied the Fat Lady was now completely empty, and by the looks of it, the frame had been badly abused.

"Get Mr. Filch," they heard Dumbledore say. "Tell him to search all the pictures in the castle for the Fat Lady."

"Won't do you any good!" came a cackling voice say. Harry looked up, and saw Peeves floating above, a look of great amusement on his face.

"What do you mean Peeves?" Dumbledore asked calmly.

"She's hiding your headship," replied Peeves. "Scared out of her mind. Nearly got her, he did."

"Who nearly got her?" questioned Dumbledore.  
"Sirius Black, he's got a nasty temper!"

A wave of whispers broke out immediately.

"Sirius Black!" Hermione said, looking flabbergasted. "But how could he have gotten in the castle?"

"He would've had to get past the dementors," Ron said nervously.

"SILENCE!" Dumbledore thundered, captivating the attention of everyone. "You will proceed down to the Great Hall for now, the castle will have to be searched."

Still going on about how Black may have gotten into the castle. "Maybe he apparated," Melony said thoughtfully.

"You can't apparate into Hogwarts," said Hermione.

"He could've gotten a broom and flew over," said Ron.

"Am I the only one who read _Hogwarts, A History_?" Hermione said, exasperatedly. "There are more than walls that protect Hogwarts, there's charms and enchantments, he wouldn't be able to fly over!"

A few minutes later, students from Hufflepuff, Ravenclaw and Slytherin appeared, looking confused.

"We will need to perform a search of the castle," Dumbledore said, striding into the Great Hall, all noise dying away at once. "I am afraid you will have to spend the night in here, for your own safety. I am counting on my prefects, and new Head Boy and Girl to keep order while the teachers are gone."

Dumbledore gave a switch of his wand, and hundreds of squishy, purple sleeping bags appeared.

"Everyone get a sleeping bag," Percy said loudly. "Lights out in ten minutes and no talking!"

"If he didn't apparate in here," said Melony, getting into her sleeping bag. "And he didn't fly in, how do you reckon he got in?"

"He must've used a ton of dark magic," said Ron.

"It's really lucky that he picked tonight to try to get into the common room," said Hermione. "No one was in there."

"He must have lost track of the time," Harry said. "Otherwise he would've come running in here."

"Lights out now!" Percy yelled.

Harry couldn't sleep; he stared up at the bewitched ceiling, his mind churning actively in his head.

He felt someone nudge his shoulder, and rolling over, he saw Melony's green eyes staring at him, showing she was as wide awake as he was.

She gave him an anxious look, which he understood as_, 'think they found him yet?' _

Harry shook his head. If they found him, Dumbledore surely would've come back to the Great Hall, to at least alert the Head Boy and Girl.

Finally, nearly two hours later, Dumbledore came back into the Great Hall, followed by Snape.

"Any sign of him Professor?" Percy asked importantly.

"No, searched the whole castle. I didn't really expect Black to linger."

"Sir," Snape said, in a monotone, as tough trying to block out Percy from hearing. "You'll remember the concern I voiced to you at the start of the term. It seems impossible that Black could've gotten inside the castle tonight without some inside help."

"No one in this castle helped Black in here tonight Severus," Dumbledore said. He gave one final sweeping look at the many sleeping students. "No use moving them all now, let them stay here tonight, we will have to find a replacement for the Gryffindor common room though."

"So Snape thinks that someone is helping Black into the castle?" Hermione asked at breakfast the next morning after Harry and Melony told her what they overheard.

"Yes," said Harry.

"Who does he think it is?" asked Ron.

"He didn't say," said Melony.

"Maybe it was him," Ron said. "And he's trying to get the suspensions off him by blaming it on someone else."

The Fat Lady still had not returned to her portrait, and personally, Melony couldn't blame her. Instead, to the Gryffindors horror, Sir Cardgin took her place. He was awful, changing the passwords twice a day, and trying to duel with everyone entering the common room.

Annoying as he may be, he was the least of Harry and Melony's trouble. They had to balance out all of their work on top of their Quidditch practices.

"Our first game is in exactly one week," Wood told them after a particularly intense practice. "We've got to win it, we've been out of the running two years in a row, and this is my last chance, so…" he trailed off.

"Don't worry Oliver," Fred said, grinning.

"Yah, that match is good as ours," George said.

"Yes well," said Wood, clearing his throat. "As for our Chasers, we'll be using Katie, Alicia, and Melony at first. Angelina, you're the best goal scorer, so we'll use you towards the middle of the game, after we've lured Hufflepuff into a false sense of security."

The day of the match arrived at last. Melony was woken up early by a loud clasp of thunder. Swearing under her breath at the weather, she dressed quickly.

She took the silver pitcher that was sitting under the window, hoping the water would help calm her nerves.

Through the thick rain thought, she thought she saw an outline of something moving by an enormous tree…

It was the black dog! Spilling some of the water in shock, Melony rubbed her eyes, then looked out the window again. This time, there was nothing, but she had been so certain she saw it before, but perhaps the rain had clouded her vision…

Why was she even getting so worked up over the dog? She didn't believe what Professor Trelawney said about the Grim.

"Get a hold of yourself," she said quietly. "You need to shape up before the game."

She lay back down in bed, but the rain was pounding against the window glass so hard, that trying to go back to sleep became a meaningless task.

Sighing, she quickly dressed and headed down to the common room. She may as well get some homework done while she was up.

She settled down in her usual armchair, and opened up her Ancient Runes book.

But nearly an hour later, she was still on the same page, for she wasn't exactly concentrating.

A few students stammered sleepily into the common room, woken by the storm as well. A clasp of thunder sounded, causing Melony to jump a little in her seat. She was a bit more jumpy than usual.

"Nervous?" came a voice behind her. She turned and saw Harry standing by the staircase.

"A little," she admitted.

"Don't be. You're a fantastic Chaser, you'll do fine."

"Thanks. Hey, think it's early enough for breakfast yet?"

He looked at his watch. "Maybe. Come on, let's go."

The whole team was already at breakfast. They sat silently, picking at their food. Oliver looked so anxious that he kept dropping his fork on the floor and had to constantly dive under the table to retrieve it.

The tables steadily gained more students, the Great Hall filling with chatter about the upcoming match.

"Locker rooms," Wood said hoarsely after an hour of staring at their uneaten breakfasts.

It was finally time for the match. Melony watched as the stands filled up with students, huddled under umbrellas and extra jackets. She could make put Ron and Hermione near the front of the seats.

"This is it," said Wood. "We've practiced hard for this game, so lets go out there and, and play like we have in practice."

The team filed out of the locker room onto the field, and were joined later by the Hufflepuff team in their canary yellow robes.

Angelina went to sit on the bench by the sidelines.

Madam Hooch, strutted onto the middle of the field, and released the balls. Melony saw the tiny golden Snitch flitter a bit, before it flew up, disappearing from sight.

The whistle blew, and the players shot up.

Even with all their practices in the rain, Melony still found navigating through this extremely difficult. The Quaffle was slippery, so when Katie passed it to her the first time, it nearly fell through her grip.

But nonetheless, she managed to keep hold on it long enough to pass it over to Alica, who scored a goal.

The Hufflepuff Keeper tossed the Quaffle to one of his Chasers, but dropped it after dodging a Bludger from one of the Weasly twins.

Catching the Quaffle, Melony flew at top speed to the goal post, and took a shot, but the Quaffle was saved by the Keeper, but Katie got a hold of the Quaffle soon after and passed it back to her. This time she scored.

The rain seemed to be thickening, if that was even possible, and Melony felt so cold, that she was desperately hoping Harry would catch the Snitch, so they could retreat back into the warm castle.

She heard the whistle, and for a second, thought her hope had come true, but she made out the outline of Wood signaling for the team to come over.

"I've called for a time out," he said as she landed next to him. "We're winning so far, but Harry, you need to catch the Snitch soon, so we can get out of the rain."

"I can't see anything in these," Harry said, waving at his glasses.

"Harry!" Hermione said, running over to the team. "Harry, give me your glasses."

Obeying, Harry pulled of his glasses and handed them to her.

She pulled out her wand and said, "_Impervius_." The water that had been sliding down the frames suddenly vanished, and now the water seemed to bounce right off them.

Wood looked like he could've kissed Hermione.

She gave Melony a quick grin, and then ran back to the stands.

"Right," said Wood. "Well, Melony, I think you should switch places with Angelina. It's really windy and you might start getting blown off course. Angelina's bigger than you, so

she should be fine. No offense," he added to Angelina.

Melony had no problem with Angelina taking her place. Sitting down on the bench she watched as the match resumed.

"Come on Harry," she said to herself, scanning the sky for her brother. He was so high up that she couldn't even see him.

A cold chill suddenly came over Melony, but not from the rain. If felt like her insides were freezing up.

The screaming she heard on the train sounded in her ears again. And then she felt like she was falling….

"Melony!" called a voice. "Melony, Melony!"

"Huh?" She opened her eyes, and the images of Ron, Hermione and Professor McGonagall came into view.

"What happened?" Melony asked, picking herself up off the ground.

"You fainted," Hermione said, her eyes teary. "The dementors came and you just passed out."

"What about Harry?" Melony said, looking around for her brother. "Where's he?"

Ron and Hermione exchanged glances. Even Professor McGonagall seemed aloof.

"He, he passed out too," Ron finally said. "But the thing is, see, he was really high up, at least fifty feet, and well…"

Melony clasped her hands to her mouth. "Oh my God! Is he all right?"

"He's up in the hospital wing," McGonagall spoke up. "Where you should be too. Come on dear."

"I'm fine," Melony said quickly. "It's Harry you should be worried about, can I go see him?"

"After Madam Pomfry has had a good look at you," McGonagall said firmly, though her eyes were softer that usual. "Come along Ms. Potter, and yes, you can come to Ms. Granger and Mr. Weasly."

They walked briskly through the soaked field, past the Hufflepuff Seaker, Cedric Diggory, who was having a discussion about something with Madam Hooch, and into the castle.

But just as they started up the first staircase, a thought came to Melony. The Grim. She had seen it before the game hadn't she? And look what happened, her brother and her both suffered from the dementors, though Harry much worse than she had.

It's just a coincidence, she told herself firmly. And as many times as she replayed those words inside her head, she couldn't get them to sink in.


	14. More bad news

When the arrived in the Hospital Wing, Madam Pomfrey was busying her self over an unconscious Harry.

"Dementors in the school. I knew it was a bad idea! Poor boy could've been killed! I have half a mind to go to Fudge myself and-"

"Poppy," Professor McGonagall interrupted. "Ms. Potter also suffered from the dementors. If you could have a look at her…"

"Yes, yes of course," she said briskly, indicating for Melony to take the cot adjacent to Harry's.

"I'm fine," Melony insisted, but obeyed and took a seat.

She tried hard not to look at her brother. But she couldn't help her eyes from wandering to him. He was pale, and he had a few cuts on his face.

"He'll be alright," Madam Pomfrey said soothingly at Melony's worried expression. "He'll need to spend the weekend of course, but he should be back on his feet by Monday. Now then, eat this." She handed Melony a large slab of chocolate. Melony accepted it, but did not eat it. "No one else passed out did they?" she asked Ron and Hermione, already knowing the answer.

"Well, no," Hermione admitted. "But-But Melony, don't go thinking you and Harry are weak just because that happens to you."

"I won't," Melony lied, nibbling on her chocolate.

"I'd better go and see if Dumbledore's rounded up the last of the dementors," Professor McGonagall said. Madam Pomfrey, which she had been talking to, nodded, and went back to bustling around Harry's bedside.

"You'll need rest," Madam Pomfrey said, directing her attention to Melony. "I think you should spend at least tonight here."

"But I'm okay, really," she persisted.

"Yes, be that as it may, I still am going to insist upon it," Madam Pomfrey continued.

Giving a defeated sigh, Melony slumped against her pillows, just as the Hospital Wing door flew open, and the Gryffindor team, minus Oliver Wood, all came rushing in, covered from head to toe in mud.

"Now really!" Madam Pomfrey said in a scandalized voice. "This is a hospital! And look at you lot; you're dripping mud all over the floor.

"Professor McGonagall said we could come right up," Fred said. "We met her on our way over here."

Madam Pomfrey pursed her lips, but said nothing.

"You alright Melony?" George asked. She nodded.

"Oh, I think he's starting to wake up!" Katie Bell exclaimed. The team, and Ron and Hermione quickly gathered around Harry's bed as he began to stir. Melony made to get up as well, but stopped at the warning stare from Madam Pomfrey.

She saw Harry sit up and grab his glasses from the bedside table.

"What happened?" he asked.

"You fell off of your broom," Hermione said in a shaky voice.

From the look on Harry's face, Melony new that he was recalling the event. "What about the match? Are they going to reschedule it?"

Melony had been wondering the same question as well, and looked over at the team.

"Well, you see… Harry you mustn't blame yourself," Hermione said.

"What happened?" Melony asked. "We didn't loose did we?"

"Yah, we did," Fred said heavily. "Diggory caught the Snitch just as you fell, Harry."

"He didn't know you fell though," George added. "Once he realized what happened, he tried to call it off, but even Oliver agrees he won fair and square."

The news that Gryffindor had lost the Quidditch match seemed to have a bigger impact on Harry then it did on Melony.

"Did someone bring up my Nimbus?" Harry asked suddenly as Fred and George were discussing the team's new odds for winning the cup. There was an awkward silence. "Well see," Ron began. "When you fell, it sort of, got blown off course, to the Whomping Willow. And well, it doesn't like being disturbed… Professor Flitwick went to get it after you fell, what was left of it anyways…" Ron reached into his bag, and pulled out the remains of what used to be Harry's Nimbus.

* * *

"You know you can get a new broomstick," Melony said after everybody had left. Harry had been fiddling with the pieces of his broom for over an hour now.

"I know," Harry said flatly, but still continued to turn the demolished pieces in his hand. Melony rolled her eyes. "Anyways, I've been thinking; remember how on the train, Lupin made that one dementor just go away?"

Harry stopped playing with the pieces and looked over at her. "Yah, I remember."

"Well, why don't we ask him to teach us how to do it?"

Harry's face lit up. "You think he would?"

Melony shrugged. "It's worth asking isn't it?"

Harry nodded. "We should do it tomorrow, after class."

"What if he's not there again?" Melony asked. She was referring to their previous lesson, which Lupin had not been present at, and much to the Gryffindor's dismay, it was Professor Snape who took his place.

"He should be there, I mean he's not here in the Hospital Wing is he? He's probably resting inside his office."

"Maybe," Melony shrugged.

Harry went back to toying with the remains of his broom.

Melony leaned back into her pillows, when suddenly, she remembered something…

"Harry, right before the match, I- I, saw something. A big, black dog by the Whomping Willow. I think it might've been the Grim."

To her surprise, Harry said, "I saw it too. Not by the Whomping Willow, but before I fell."

"Where?"

"It was, I dunno, etched out in the sky I guess."

"Don't you think it's a bit, well, creepy that the Grim shows up, and then after, we both pass out from dementors?"

"A little," Harry acceded. "Maybe Trelawney's right about something."

"No, she's still just an old fraud," Melony said, grinning. "She's going to have a field day predicting your death when we see her next, after this."

"Can't wait," Harry muttered darkly.

* * *

Melony was allowed to leave Sunday morning, after Madam Pomfrey had a quick look-over of her. She stayed with Harry though, along with Ron and Hermione. Oliver Wood stopped by to see how Harry and Melony were doing, and to say that he didn't blame Harry at all for what happened, and Ginny Weasley stayed for a moment to deliver Harry a handmade card that sung endlessly unless it was shut under the fruit bowl on the bedside table.

Finally, Harry was allowed to leave he Hospital Wing Monday morning.

Potions class could've gone better. Malfoy, Crabbe and Goyle were so pleased over Gryffindor's defeat, that they spent most of the hour doing poor imitations of dementors.

"Snape better not be teaching Defense Against the Dark Arts again," Ron said as they headed to Lupin's class after lunch. "If he is, I'm skipping, go see who's in there Hermione."

Hermione peered into the classroom, and a smile appeared on her face. "It's okay! Professor Lupin's back!"

For a Monday lesson, Melony found it to be quite enjoyable. After the class finished slandering Snape's teaching skills in the subject, Professor Lupin told them that they were not required to do the homework he had given them, which was about werewolves, something that they had never been exposed to, he taught them about hinkypunks, which lured travelers into dark forests.

When the bell rang, Melony and Harry didn't follow the rest of the students out the door. Instead, they stood, unsure of themselves, debating how they were going to ask what they had planned.

"I was actually hoping to have a word with you two," Lupin said, smiling. "I heard about the match."

"You did?" Harry asked, slightly embarrassed.

"Yes, I'm sorry about you're broomstick. From what everybody was saying, it was a Numbus 2000. An excellent model. There's no chance in repairing it is there?"

Harry shook his head. "No, the Whomping Willow smashed it to bits."

"Very sorry. Did your broom suffer the same fate Melony?"

"No, it's fine," Melony told him. " I wasn't playing when-when the dementors came, so I didn't fall from the air."

"Well, that's good then. You know they planted the Whomping Willow the same year I started Hogwarts? Nearly poked a poor boy's eye out. No broomstick would ever have a chance."

"Professor," Melony started. "The thing is, we were wondering, if maybe, you could, you know, teach us how to get rid of the dementors?"

Lupin sighed heavily, and sunk into his chair behind his desk. "I do not pretend to be an expert at fighting dementors."

"But you made the one on the train go away," Harry pointed out.

"Well, yes, there are certain defenses one can use, but there was only one then. Dementors in large numbers are harder to propel."

"Please," Harry said almost desperately. "Can't you just teach us the defenses you used on the train. If the dementors come to another Quidditch match, we'll need to be prepared."

After looking at the determined faces of Harry and Melony, Lupin hesitated, but then said. "All right, I'll try and teach you. But it'll have to wait until after the holidays. I have a lot to do, and unfortunately, I picked a rather inconvenient time to fall ill."

* * *

Christmas drew near, and holiday spirits soared among students. For Harry especially, for he was going to be staying with his father's sister, and her family for the first time in his life.

"You'll love them," Melony told him the first day of winter break. "Aunt Marrisa is an excellent cook. And Uncle Ray is always a good laugh. Ally may be a bit bossy, but she's still really nice. And Lexi's, well, honestly she's sort of annoying, but you'll learn to love her in no time."

The common room was completely empty except for the two of them. Ron and Hermione had left the previous day to go to their families. Professor McGonagall had explained to them before the term had ended that for their own safety, they were going to be using Floo powder to reach their destination, instead of the Hogwarts Express. They were supposed to be leaving in just a few moments, after Professor McGonagall came to fetch them.

The portrait door swung open, and Professor McGonagall strode in. "I am afraid I have some bad news for the two of you," she said heavily.

"What sort of bad news?" Melony asked testily.

"It seems that when your aunt and uncle were picking up your two cousins from their train station this morning, they went missing."

"What-what do you mean missing?" Melony stammered, hardly daring to believe what she had heard.

"They never arrived at the Yetsi's platform to pick up your cousins," she said. "Your uncles cousin was called to take the girls, but after what we've recently discovered they're on their way back to their school as we speak-"

"What did you discover?" Harry asked.

"An abandoned vehicle was found not far from your Aunt and Uncles place of residence," Professor McGonagall told them softly. "Muggle authorities went to investigate it, and found that it was registered under your uncles name. The muggles believe that it's nothing, for now, but when our ministry got wind of this, well, they knew exactly what happened."

"Sirius Black," Melony said blankly. "He took them like he did Bridget didn't he?"

"That's what it looks like," Professor McGonagall said solemnly. "I'm very sorry to have to tell you this."

With a curt nod, she left the common room, leaving the Potter twins with two more missing family members.

* * *

AN- So sorry I took forever to update! I had my midterms, and I was trying to get up to date with all my other stories. Hopefully I'll have the next chapter up much quicker than this one. And I'm sorry I had to cut out the part when Snape taught Lupin's class, and just included it in passing.

Anyways, reviews are loved!


	15. Trip to Hogsmade

AN- IMPORTANT! I warn you now, that this chapter is way out of sequence with the original book. I'm sorry, but from this point on, this will probably be the same for many chapters. But don't worry, I'm not leaving anything out, everything important for the plot of the story will be in here, maybe just a little different.

* * *

As with the news of Bridget's disappearance, Melony took the news much harder than Harry. She had grown up with these people, and unlike the Dursley's had to Harry, they had treated her like a daughter.

Harry did not know what to do to comfort his sister, having never met Aunt Marrisa and Uncle Ray. He had tried his best to comfort her, but in the end, decided just to let her continue silently staring out the window, which she had been doing since she had heard the news.

"Hey Harry," Melony said suddenly, looking over at Harry.

"What?" Harry asked, putting down the copy of _W Broomstick_ he had previously been reading.

"How come Black took Aunt Marrisa and Uncle Ray? I mean he already has Bridget, what good will they do him? It makes no sense!"

"Yah well, this is Black we're dealing with here," Harry mumbled darkly. "They say Azkaban's made him insane…"

"I suppose so," Melony nodded. "Still, I say they're in way more danger than Bridget at the moment, they can't do magic after all."

Harry said nothing. He knew she was right, but he felt that him stating that wouldn't help the matter right now.

"And the worst part is," Melony continued. "There's nothing we can do to help them. We're here at the school, and have no way of getting to them!"

"The entire Ministry is supposed to be looking for Bridget," Harry pointed out, though he secretly was unsure of how much trust he would harbor in the Ministry. "And Aunt Marrisa and Uncle Ray are probably wherever she is."

"I guess," Melony said glumly. She knew Harry was just trying to make her feel better. "I wonder if they'll have a try at your guardians, the Dursley's right?"

"Wouldn't do Black too much good if he's trying to lure me out of the school," Harry said darkly.

"They're that bad?"

"Uh-huh. They hate all things magic. And Dudley isn't exactly pleasant to be around."

"Shame," she said sympathetically. "I think I'll go to bed." The sun had barely set, but Harry made no mention of this. They bid each other good night, and Melony left Harry in the common room as she set off to her empty dormitory.

As she lay in her bed, staring wide-awake at the ceiling, Melony continued to contemplate the reasons her aunt and uncle had been taken. He didn't need anybody more to try to lure her to him, he had Bridget for that, and they wouldn't be any use to him skill wise…

_This makes no sense_! She thought miserably, punching her pillow.

The next morning, Melony felt just as depressed as she did when she had gone to sleep, if not more. She awoke before the sun had risen, and slumped down to the common room where she absentmindedly flipped through books for a few hours until Harry came down.

"Shall we go get breakfast?" he asked.

She shook her head. "I'm not really hungry."

"Oh, well, how about a visit to Hagrid's?"

"No thanks," she replied glumly.

"So you're basically just going to sit around here all day?"

"Yup," she replied.

Sighing, Harry settled down into the chair next to her. "What if I told you I knew a way into Hogsmade?"

Melony sat upright. "What do you mean?"

Harry reached into his pocket and pulled out a piece of aged parchment and handed it to her.

"What's this?" she asked, examining the seemingly blank parchment.

"Fred and George gave it to me about a week ago," Harry explained. "It's a map of Hogwarts."

"A map?" she repeated. "There's nothing on it."

Grinning, Harry pulled out his wand and tapped to the parchment as he said; "I solemnly swear I'm up to no good."

At his words, images began to appear on the parchment, revealing the entire layout of the school.

"Bloody hell," Melony whispered in awe. "It even shows people." She pointed to the few dots that were scattered throughout Hogwarts, their names printed next to them.

"It also shows secret passageways," Harry told her. He pointed to the third floor. "You know the statue of the humpback witch here?"

"Yes."

"Well, it leads to a tunnel that takes you right to Honeydukes cellar."

"You mean you've already been there?" Melony exclaimed.

"No, Fred and George told me that. But how about we try it out now?"

"Now?" Melony said. "Harry, we'll get in loads of trouble."

"Only if we get caught," Harry reminded her. "Come on, maybe there will be some news about Sirius Black there, Hermione says the Three Broomsticks is filled with people talking about what's going on in the wizarding world."

"But-"

"If you don't come," Harry said, standing up. "I'm still going. Aren't you sick of being the only ones not allowed in Hogsmade?"

"Yes, I suppose… Oh fine," she acceded, getting up. "But if we get caught-"

"We won't get caught," Harry said. "Hang on, I'll be right back…" He sprinted up to his dormitory, leaving Melony, who was rather confused, behind him.

He came back a few minutes later with a cloak in his hands.

"And exactly how is that going to help us not get caught?" she questioned as her brother began to unfold the cloak. She got her answer, however, the instant Harry threw the cloak over himself, disappearing from view.

"It's an invisibility cloak," Harry explained at her shocked expression as he pulled the cloak back off. "Dumbledore gave it to me first year, said that our dad gave it to him before he died."

"This must be really rare," she remarked, examining the cloak more closely. "But will it cover both of us?"

"Oh yah," Harry said. "Covers me, Ron and Hermione fine, so me and you should be no problem. Now then, are you ready?"

She nodded, and Harry threw the cloak over both of them, and Harry and Melony quietly pushed open the portrait door, and set off towards their destination.

Since the castle was so empty, the twins made it to the third floor quite easily.

"Okay," Melony said, running her hand over the hump backed witch, as though looking for a secret door. "Now what do we do?"

"I don't know," Harry admitted. The two looked at the map, where two tiny dots with their names were. A tiny bubble appeared by Harry's dot, with the word 'Dissendium' written in it. Following his instincts, Harry said the incantation aloud. The results were instantaneous; the hump opened up, revealing a tunnel large enough for a thin person to go through.

"We'll need to go one behind the other," Melony observed.

"Right," Harry nodded. "Light you wand, so we can at least see where we're going…"

The tunnel seemed to go on for hours. The ceiling was so low that the two had to crouch down in order to navigate.

"Hang on," Harry said, coming to a stop, which caused Melony to bump into him. "We've reached a dead end."

"A dead end?" Melony repeated. "Are you serious? We went all this was for nothing?"

"Calm down," Harry said. "We just need to-Ow!" He rubbed the top of his head gingerly. "I banged my head on something…"

"It's a door!" Melony exclaimed, pointing her wand light at the spot where Harry had let out the cry of pain. "We must be right below the cellar! Try to push the door open, Harry."

With much effort, Harry managed to heave the trap door open, allowing a stream of light into the tunnel.

"Need another thing of Ice Mice, when you get a chance," the twins heard a voice call out. "There holiday shoppers are mad, I tell you."

Still under the cloak, the two carefully climbed out of the trapdoor, undetected by any of the workers, and made there way out of the cellar.

As Christmas was approaching, the front of the store was jam-packed with shoppers trying to scavenge last minute gifts.

"Let's take off the cloak," Harry said to his sister. "It's so packed in here that no one will even notice, besides, nobody will know we came from the school, it's holiday after all."

"Okay," she agreed, pulling the cloak from over her head.

"This is amazing," Harry breathed, looking around at the colorful interior of the shop.

"I forgot, you've never been here," Melony said.

"Nope," Harry shook his head, continuing to gaze around Honeydukes in awe. "How often have you been here?"

"Once in awhile, but you have to see Zonko's joke shop, it's amazing! And the Three Broomsticks will be perfect to warm up in."

Once Harry finished his look around the candy shop, he and Melony started down the crowded streets. They stopped in front of a small, neat-looking shop, which Melony pointed out as the Three Broomsticks. It was certainly a pleasurable atmosphere. The warm air smelled of butterbeer and hot chocolate.

"Over here," Melony said, leading them over to an empty table. "I don't think I've ever seen this place more packed, Madam Rosmerta must be happy, she'll be getting loads of business."

"Can I help yous?" a gum-chewing server asked, coming over to the twins. "Two butterbeers," Harry ordered. The waitress scribbled down the request, and disappeared over to the bar.

"This is really brilliant, Harry," Melony said, grinning at her brother. "That maps genius, can I see it?"

Harry handed it over to her. "I forgot to wipe it clear, make sure you say 'mischief managed' when you're done."

"Who are Moony, Wormtail, Padfoot and Prongs?" she questioned.

"Fred and George seem to think they're the ones who created the map," Harry said. "They're probably right."

"Whoever they were, they must've been really smart," she commented. "It must have token a lot of complicated magic to create this, Hermione probably couldn't even-"

She stopped mid-sentence, and stared at a spot straight ahead of her.

"What?" Harry asked, whipping around to see what she was looking at. His stomach dropped. Professor McGonagall and Professor Sprout had just walked into the pub, and settled into a table not to far from theirs.

"Hurry up, under here," Harry said urgently, pulling the cloak out. "Before they spot us."

"What are they even doing here?" Melony hissed as her and Harry snuck out of the pub.

"It's their break as well," Harry pointed out. "They must come here when they're tired of being stuck in the castle all day, Hagrid does it all the time."

"So you reckon we should head back?" Melony asked. "There may be more teachers around."

"Yah we'd better," Harry sighed. "Well, at least now we know how to get here, next time there's a Hogsmade trip, we'll be able to come."

"As long as we don't get caught," Melony reminded him, as the twins started back for the sweets shop. "We already had one close call."

The journey back through the tunnel seemed to take less time; Harry and Melony arrived back to the castle in under an hour.

"This map is going to be a lifesaver," Harry said brightly when they got back to the common room. "Whenever we need to sneak out, we won't have to worry about being caught by Filch!"

"I don't think Hermione will be too fond of this," Melony said, taking a seat by the fire. "She'll probably want you to turn it into McGonagall."

"No way," Harry shook his head. "Even she'll have to admit that it can be useful."

Melony laughed. "Right, I'm sure she'll see it that way. Hey, I think Ron left his chess set, want to play a round?"

"Sure," Harry acceded.

As the game started, Harry felt a surge of gleefulness, having successfully managed to get his sisters mind off of Black. The bad part though, no matter what he seemed to do, Black was always floating around in the back of his head, prepared to spoil any happy moment that might come about.


	16. Christmas surprises

"Harry, wake up!"

"What?" Harry muttered sleepily from his bed.

"Get up, it's Christmas!" Melony exclaimed.

"Oh, yah." Harry got up slowly and got his glasses from his bedside table. "Merry Christmas."

"You too," Melony said, handing Harry package. "Here's your gift."

"Thanks," he said, accepting the gift. "I've got yours as well, hold on." He rummaged through his trunk, and withdrew the present and tossed it over to his sister.

"Oh, thanks Harry," Melody said appreciatively as she opened it, revealing a copy of _101 __Quidditch Moves: Your Guide to Better Goal Scoring_. "I've had my eye on this for a while now."

"Yah, these Seeker gloves are brilliant," said Harry, him too opening his present.

"Open the rest of your presents then," Melony urged Harry. "Come on, I've already opened all of mine before I came up here."

"All right, all right," Harry said, starting at the pile of presents at the foot of his bed.

Within fifteen minutes, all but one of the presents remained.

"Who's this one from?" Melony asked, helping herself to one of the mince pies from Mrs. Weasley. She was pointing to a thin, unlabeled package.

"I don't know, there's no note," Harry said. He tore off the paper, and let out a gasp as a brand new Firebolt was uncovered.

"Wow," Harry said softly, looking over his new broomstick. "It's-It's a-"

"-Firebolt," Melony finished, her too staring in awe at the broom. "Bloody hell, who

would've sent you that?"

"I don't know," Harry admitted, picking up his newly possessed treasure. "But whoever it is, well, blimey, I owe them."

Melony looked around at the discarded wrapping, still looking for some sort of label to indicate whom it was from. However, after several minutes of unsuccessful findings, Melony accepted defeat.

"It's just so weird," Melony said, settling herself on Ron's bed.

"I know," Harry said, still examining the Firebolt. "Who would give me something like this and not even say who they are?"

"I'm not talking about that," Melony said, reaching inside her pocket. "Here, look at this…"

She pulled out a long, golden chain, with many diamond and sapphire charms hanging from it. "I found it in my presents this morning; it also didn't have any name on it."

"You think they're from the same person?" Harry questioned.

"There's a pretty good chance," she replied. "Think about it; there are too many similarities for them not to be. But bloody hell, whoever sent them must be really rich; this necklace looks goblin made, and that broomstick probably cost a small fortune too."

A short while later, the twins made their way down to the common room; Harry with the Firebolt in his hand, and Melony wearing the necklace.

"Harry, Melony!" a voice greeted them as they came into the common room. The two were shocked to see both Ron and Hermione sitting at a table, grinning at them.

"What are you two doing here?" Harry asked as Hermione ran over to hug them. "We thought you went home for Christmas?"

"We were," Hermione said. "But then we heard the news about your aunt and uncle; oh it's awful, I'm so sorry!"

"Thanks," Melony said gratefully.

"Anyways, Percy was getting to be too much to handle," Ron said. "I swear, giving him that badge was the worst mistake ever, it's quite a relief to get away from him and- Blimey Harry, are you holding a Firebolt?" He sprang up and ran over to Harry. "It is! Where'd you get if?"

"Somebody sent it to me for Christmas," Harry explained as Ron continued to gape at the broom. "There was no note or anything, so I don't know who."

"And somebody sent me this," Melony said, indicating to her necklace around her neck. "It'd didn't have a note either."

"Bloody hell," Ron moaned. "Somebody out there must really like you guys…"

"What's wrong Hermione?" Melony asked.

Harry turned to Hermione and saw that she did not share Ron's enthusiasm about the gifts.

"It's just, well, Harry, that broomstick is really good right?" she said.

Ron rolled his eyes. "It's the best in the world Hermione."

"And Melony, that necklace has real jewels in it, it must be really rare," she continued.

Melony and Harry exchanged glances, not knowing where she was going with this. "So what?" Melony said.

"Well, the gifts must have been really expensive," Hermione shrugged.

Shaking his head, Ron said, "So anyways, can I have a go on this Harry? After you, obviously, though."

"Sure, sure," Harry nodded.

The Christmas feast at Hogwarts was nothing like Melony had ever experienced at her old school. Fat, roasted turkeys filled the tables, along with many more delicious dishes. By the time desert came, Melony felt full to bursting, but managed two helpings of pudding.

As the four were heading out of the Great Hall, Hermione suddenly said she had to see Professor McGonagall about something, and turned back.

"Wonder what she's asking her," Melony said as her, Harry and Ron began to climb the staircase to get back to the common room.

"Probably wants to see if she can take anymore classes," Ron muttered.

Harry had just retrieved his Firebolt from his dormitory, and was sitting with it by the fire, when Hermione came in, accompanied by Professor McGonagall.

"This is it then," she said, pointing to Harry's broomstick. "And that," she nodded at Melony's necklace. "Is the necklace?"

Hermione nodded, but looked down at the ground.

"Would you mind if I see those," McGonagall asked Harry and Melony.

Confused, Harry handed over the broom, and Melony slipped the necklace off her neck.

"Is something wrong, Professor?" Melony asked as McGonagall looked over the two gifts.

"Yes," McGonagall nodded. "Ms. Granger says you received these this morning with no note?"

"Right," Harry answered, looking over at Hermione, who was still focused on the rug.

"I see," McGonagall said, pursing her lips. "Well then, I'm afraid I'll have to take them."

"What?!" the twins exclaimed at the same time.

"But why Professor?" Harry asked.

"They'll need to be checked for dark magic," she told them. "Hexes, jinxes, the works. Madam Hooch should be able to handle this broom, and Professor Flitwick will look into this necklace."

"But I need my broom for the next game," Harry said, knowing full well how much Professor McGonagall wanted a Gryffindor victory this year.

"I'm sorry, but that's the way it must be," she replied sternly. "I assure you though, the process will not take long, a couple of weeks at the most."

Leaving the twins and Ron stunned, she turned on her heel, and left through the portrait hole.

"What did you do that for?" Ron demanded to Hermione. "Why'd you have to go crying to McGonagall for?"

"Because Ron," she said in a shaky voice. "I think, and Professor McGonagall agrees, that those gifts were sent to Harry and Melony by Sirius Black."

"Oh come off it," Ron sneered. "How in the world do you expect Black to get his hands on a Firebolt and a goblin made necklace? He's the most wanted man right now! They have dementors everywhere looking for him!"

"I can't believe you're more concerned with those gifts than Harry and Melony's well being!" Hermione shouted at him, tears starting to form in her eyes.

"I am not," Ron shot back. "But your theory is completely ridiculous!"

"_You're_ being ridiculous," she snapped. "I can't believe how childish you're being!" And with that she stomped up to the girls dormitory.

"Well," Ron said, shaking his head. "She's finally snapped."

Harry nodded. "She _was_ just trying to be cautious though."

"Harry, because of her, you no longer have the best broomstick in history!" Ron exclaimed. "Gryffindor could've won the cup easy with you on that!"

"Well, yah," Harry admitted. "I guess."

"I'll go see if she's alright," Melony offered. "See you guys in the morning."

As Melony suspected, Hermione was lying on her bed, a book in her hand.

"I can't believe Ronald," she scoffed the second she caught sight of Melony. "Honestly, he's just upset he won't get to ride Harry's broom."

"I suppose," Melony said, sitting down on her own bed.

"I mean, Sirius Black broke out of Azkaban! He could've easily got his hands on a necklace and a Firebolt, right?"

Melony didn't reply to this; she personally agreed with Ron's point of view on this matter, so she instead busied herself by slowly sliding off her shoes.

Hermione, however, took Melony's silence as an answer of its own. "So you agree with Ron, don't you?" she asked, closing her book and glaring at Melony.

"I never said that," Melony stated.

"But that's what you're thinking," Hermione said, crossing her arms. "Isn't it?"

"Well, Hermione the only places that sells Firebolts are in areas where there are dementors everywhere. And my necklace probably had loads of protective spells around it."

"Fine," Hermione said, hastily placing her book on the bedside table. "Agree with him, I know you would."

"Hermione-"

But Hermione had already pulled the curtains around her bed.

_Great, another fight, _Melony thought glumly as she got under her covers. _I don't think I've been in this many arguments in my life. _


	17. Patronuses

As much as Harry desperately wanted his Firebolt back, and he felt that he shouldn't had blamed Hermione for its' loss. After all, she _had _only been thinking of his and Melony's welfare.

Melony felt the same way. She saw Hermione more often than Harry did, as she shared a dormitory with her, and often felt surges of guilt at Hermione's silence.

Ron however, was still fuming. He felt what Hermione had done was nothing short of criminal.

"She just had to go crying to McGonagall," he said hastily one evening. "Gryffindor could have won the Quidditch cup with a Firebolt on the team, and thanks to her, Harry will probably never see it again."

Hermione was still refusing to speak to Harry, Melony or Ron once the new semester started again. Of course, Harry and Melony barely had time to dwell on the fact, because as promised, Professor Lupin began his lessons with them the day classes resumed.

"We obviously won't be practicing with real dementors," Professor Lupin said, once Melony and Harry had reported to his office. "We will be using a boggart. Now this will present no problem for Harry, as I already know that's what the boggart will transform into for him, but Melony on the other hand… As I recall, in class your boggart took the shape of a dog…"

"I think it will be different now, Professor," Melony said. "After the last Quidditch match, I really haven't been able to get dementors out of my head."

"Well, we'll see about that," Lupin said. He started towards a wardrobe in the far corner of the office. "The boggart is in here. Now, when I release it, if Melony is indeed right about her change in fear, it will transform into the dementor. But if not, it will be confused, and we'll have to figure out another way. But let's not worry about that right now.

"Now as for the spell itself," Lupin continued. "It's very challenging. Well above the Ordinary Wizarding Level. I don't want you two to feel any shame if you do not succeed."

"How's the spell work, Professor?" Harry inquired.

" If done properly, the spell will create a sort of shield between you and the dementor."

"Shield?" Melony repeated, confused.

"Yes," Lupin said. "The shield will be made from a single, happy memory. You see, it will be a projection on what the dementors feed on. But the shield will not be harmed by them, as it is not human.

Now, the incantation for this spell is _Expecto Patronum,_" Lupin explained.

"Expecto Patronum," Melony and Harry repeated simultaneously.

"Good, good," Lupin nodded. "Well, I suppose the best thing to do will be to just dive right in and try this. Do you both have you happy memories in your minds?"

The twins nodded, then walked in front of the wardrobe.

"Okay, on three then," Lupin said. "One, two, three!" He pointed his wand at the wardrobe and immediately, a dementor came out.

Melony thought hard about her memory; going to her first Quidditch match with her sister when she was five. But even through said memory, she began to hear the screaming she had heard at the Quidditch match, this time accompanied by a mans' frantic voice.

"_Lily, take the children and run! He's here!" _

Then there was a high-pitched crackle.

The next thing Melony knew, she was lying on the floor, panting, next to Harry.

"That was to be expected for your first try," Professor Lupin said, handing Melony and Harry each a slab of chocolate. "Eat this before you have another go."

"I think I heard Voldemort murdering our parents," Melony said softly, taking a bite of the chocolate. "I heard dad telling mum to take us and run."

"I've heard it before," Harry admitted. "At the Quidditch game. But this is the first time I ever heard dad." He stuffed the chocolate in his mouth. "Come on, let's try again."

"You'll need to think of happier memories," Lupin instructed. "The ones you thought of last time didn't seem to do the trick."

Melony racked her mind, trying to pull out the single best memory she had. At last, she had decided. She exchanged looks with Harry who nodded. "We're ready."

"Okay, one, two, three!" Lupin opened the wardrobe once more, and the dementor came gliding out. Melony concentrated on the memory. She heard the screaming start up in her head again, but this time it seemed weaker. Scrounging up all her effort, she cried "EXPECTO PATRONUM!" A silvery shadow came from the tip of her wand. Next to her, she saw that the same thing was happening with Harry.

"Riddikulus!" Lupin said loudly. There was a crack, and the dementor disappeared.

"Very well done!" Lupin exclaimed, shutting the wardrobe door. "Better than I would have thought!"

"Would our patronuses be strong enough to ward off an actual dementor?" Harry asked.

"Maybe not for long," Lupin admitted, handing each of the twins a piece of chocolate. "But you would be able to hold one off long enough to get to safety if we ever see a relapse of what happened at that last Quidditch match."

"Could we have another go?" Melony asked.

"No, no, not tonight," Lupin said tiredly. "I'm still feeling a bit ill, and it's getting late. You had better get back up to your common room."

After bidding Professor Lupin good night, Harry and Melony started back up to the Gryffindor common room.

"I'd say that went okay for our first lesson," Melony said.

"Yah, I mean, I guess our patronuses will get better as we practice," Harry agreed.

"What memory did you think of anyways?" Melony asked.

Harry looked straight at his sister. "Finding out that I had family."

Melony smiled and nodded. "Me too,"

* * *

AN- I am fully aware of the sappiness of this title. But, hey, I felt it worked.


	18. Chapter 18

"So you really made a Patronus last night," Ron said the next morning, as him and Harry pulled on their robes.

"Sort of," Harry said. "It wasn't really strong, and we didn't use a real dementor."

"But still, that's really impressive. I bet most seventh-years here couldn't make one. So when are you and Melony going back?"

"Same time next week," Harry answered.

"Think you'll be able to make a proper one for the next Quidditch game?" Ron questioned. "I mean, no pressure or anything mate, but if we go down to Ravenclaw, we'll be out of the running for the Cup again."

"I know, I know," Harry sighed.

The two boys finished dressing, and headed downstairs to the common room, and saw Melony waiting for them in an armchair, flipping absentmindedly through her Ancient Runes book.

"Oh, morning," she said, looking up at Ron and Harry.

"Morning," Harry replied. "Hermione left already?"

"She went downstairs before I even woke up," Melony said sadly. "Probably to the library to finish up some homework."

Ron shifted uncomfortably. "Well, come on then, lets go to breakfast, I'm starved."

But right at that moment, the portrait door swung open, and Professor McGonagall stepped in, holding in one hand Harry's Firebolt, and in the other Melony's necklace.

"Well you two," McGonagall said as the twins rushed over to her. "The other professors and I have done every possible test on your gifts, and neither of them don't appear to have any sort of hex, jinx, or curse on them."

"So I can have my broom back?" Harry asked anxiously.

"And my necklace?" Melony added.

"Yes," McGonagall said. "You two must have a very generous friend somewhere." She handed Harry his broom and Melony her necklace.

"Oh man!" moaned Ron, gaping at the Firebolt as McGonagall left the common room. "I can't believe you finally got it back!"

"Me neither," Harry said, awestruck.

"Hey guys," Melony said suddenly. "We should go apologize to Hermione. She _was _only trying to help us."

"Right," Harry agreed.

"Yah, I guess we should," Ron said reluctantly.

So without even stopping at the Great Hall for breakfast, Harry, Melony and Ron went to the library. Hermione was the only student there, sitting at a table, surrounded by a mountain of books.

Harry and Melony set their gifts down on the table, causing Hermione to look up from the book she had been reading. "You see," Harry said grinning. "They weren't from Sirius Black after all."

"Yah," Melony chimed in. "They're perfectly safe."

"Well, they _could've _been," Hermione said.

"Still," Melony said, sitting down in a chair across from Hermione. "I would like to know who sent them."

"Maybe it was Dumbledore," Ron suggested. "He sent Harry his invisibility cloak after all."

"Don't be silly Ron," Hermione said, now examining Melony's necklace more closely. "Dumbledore can't send things like these to students. Hey, look," she said, squinting at the back of the necklace. "There's something engraved on the back of this." She was indicating to one of the sapphire charms. "I can't quite make it out…"

"Let me see," Melony said.

Hermione handed her the necklace.

The writing was miniscule, but Melony was just able to make it out.

_My love for you keeps blossoming;_

_Just like a Lilly. _

Melony read the inscription out loud.

"Maybe you have a secret admirer out there," Ron said.

"Yes, but why would they send something to Harry then?" Melony countered.

Ron shrugged.

"Hang on," Hermione said thoughtfully. "Melony, can I see the necklace again?"

Melony handed it over.

"Just like I thought," Hermione said after studying the necklace.

"What?" Harry questioned.

"The word "_Lily_" is capitalized."

"So?" Melony said.

"I don't think this inscription is referring to a lily like a flower, I think it's a name."

"Wait a minute," Harry said slowly. "Our mum was named Lily…"

"Are you saying that's our _mum's _necklace?" Melony said, giving Hermione a quizzical look.

"It's very possible," Hermione nodded. "Or just a big coincidence, but I doubt that."

"All the more reason for the sender to be Dumbledore," Ron pointed out. "Who else would have something that belonged to her? He had their dad's invisibility cloak after all."

"But why would he give Harry a Firebolt, it didn't belong to anyone. It's brand new," Hermione retorted.

Once again, Ron simply shrugged.

* * *

That evening, after classes and dinner, the four were sitting in the Gryffindor common room at a table by the fire. They all had books out, but Hermione was the only one of them who was actually using hers. Harry and Ron were still awing over the Firebolt, and Melony was fiddling around with her necklace.

"You know," Hermione said, turning a page of her Muggle Studies book. "You could be doing something a lot more useful than sitting around here and doing nothing."

"Hermione, we're just not in the mood for homework," Ron said, rolling his eyes. "Besides, this stuff isn't due until next week!"

"I'm not talking about homework," Hermione said. "I'm talking about Buckbeak's trial. It's in a few weeks, remember?"

"I remember," Ron snapped. "It's just, we've, er, been busy."

"You have not, Ron. Melony and Harry have an excuse because of Quidditch, but you don't!"

"Have you done anything then?" Ron argued back.

"As a matter of fact I have," Hermione said, reaching into her bag. "Here, you can use my notes when you're doing your research." She pulled out at least fifty pieces of parchment, each filled with her, tiny neat script, and placed them in front of Ron, who simply looked at them blankly.

"I've pretty much covered all the court cases I could find relating to Buckbeak's," Hermione explained. "But I don't have much on general Hippogriff attacks, you know, the ones that didn't go to courts? Those could still probably help us. Oh, and it would probably be a good idea to include a brief piece about the behavior of Hippogriffs, to show that Buckbeak was only acting in his nature…"

"Hermione," Ron stammered, still looking stunned at the enormous stack of parchment in front of him. "Are you sleeping at all this year? How could you have possibly gotten all this research, plus did all your homework? You probably have more than the three of us combined!"

"Oh, well, you know, hard work," Hermione replied, not looking him in the eye.

"But even with hard work, there's no way!" Ron continued.

"Ron," Hermione said impatiently. "Stop analyzing my schedule."

"Fine, fine," Ron sighed. He stuffed the papers Hermione had given him in his bag, and closed his book. "I think I'm going to call it a night," he said, standing up. "It's nearly eleven."

"You aren't even going to start on your work?" Melony asked.

"Tomorrow," Ron said. "Honestly, you're as bad as Hermione."

"I'll probably come up in a bit," Harry said. "I should at least start that essay for McGonagall."

"Night then," Ron bid them, and he trudged up the boys staircase.

"He's going to get into trouble if he keeps putting off his homework like this," Hermione said seriously once Ron was out of sight. "And I suppose I'll have to finish looking up stuff for Buckbeak, goodness knows he do it."

"Oh, I'm sure he'll get to it," Melony said. "He wouldn't do that to Hagrid. Just give him a-"

But right at that moment she was interrupted by a loud yell from upstairs, and a few seconds later, Ron came racing down the boys' stairs, his bed sheet in his hand.

"LOOK!" he shouted at Hermione, tossing his sheet at her. "LOOK AT THAT!"

"Wh-what is it?" Hermione said, somewhat scared.

"BLOOD!" Ron bellowed. "THERE'S BLOOD ON THIS SHEET! SCABBERS' BLOOD! HE'S GONE AND YOU KNOW WHAT WAS ON THE FLOOR?"

Hermione shook her head.

"THESE!" Ron threw several ginger cat hairs on the table in front of her.

AN- You all have permission to hate me. I don't know why I took so long to update this chapter. I can't even use writer's block as a good excuse! I am so ashamed of myself. But if you can find it in your heart, a review would go a long way


	19. Chapter 19

It seemed that Ron and Hermione's friendship had come to an end. Ron argued that Hermione had never taken Crookshanks attacks on Scabbers seriously, and Hermione insisted that the hairs could've gotten on Ron's robes ages ago, and that's how they ended up on his sheets. Harry and Melony were left in the middle of this argument, neither wanting to jeopardize their friendship with either one. Although personally, Melony felt that Ron was being a bit stupid about the whole thing; Crookshanks was a cat. Scabbers was a rat. Cats ate rats. But she knew better than to point this out to Ron, who , even a week after the incident, was still fuming.

"You do think that the two of them will work things out eventually, don't you?" Melony asked Harry one evening after Quidditch practice. "I mean, they're friends aren't they? And this whole thing is really stupid!"

Harry shrugged. "I don't know. They're both really stubborn, neither of them will admit they're wrong."

"I guess. I just hate them not speaking to each other. There's so much tension."

"I think Hermione is taking it a bit worse than Ron," Harry said as they climbed up the staircase. "She's been looking really bad lately."

"She's stressed out," Melony pointed out. "Look at all the classes she's taking. Most nights she doesn't come to bed until way after midnight."

"Speaking of which," Harry said. "How is she doing it? Getting to all her classes, I mean. A few of them overlap one another, but she's still never missed a lesson!"

"Oh, well, I'm sure she's got it all worked out," Melony replied, not making eye contact with Harry.

By the time Harry and Melony got up to the common room, it was nearly empty, except for Hermione of course, who didn't even look up from her enormous book when the twins stepped through the portrait hole.

"Hello," Melony said to her, sitting down on the armchair adjacent to her. "What're you reading?"

"_The Muggle Substitutions for Everyday Spells_," Hermione answered. "I need to read 100 more pages for class tomorrow, so I probably won't be up for at least another hour."

"Hermione," Harry said, sitting on the arm of Melony's chair. "Your parents _are_ muggles. You know everything there is to know about them! Do you really need to sit there and read a thousand page book?"

"It's fascinating to read about them from a wizards point of view," Hermione said back. "And besides, when professor Burbage asks me a question, I would like to be able to give her a cited answer."

"Right," said Harry. "I'm going to go up to bed. Night."

"Night," the two girls said back.

"Hermione," said Melony once Harry had disappeared up to the boys' dormitory. "Are you alright?"

"What do you mean?" she asked, turning a page in her book. "I'm fine."

"You just seem kind of overworked," Melony said.

"I'm fine," Hermione repeated. "I just need to finish reading this book and then I'll be done for tonight."

Seeing that it would be no use trying to talk to Hermione while she was in the middle of her book, Melony bid her goodnight, and headed up to her dormitory, silently praying for Ron and Hermione's feud to soon end.

As the game against Ravenclaw approached, Wood began calling more and more intense practices.

"Hopefully with all these practices, the match against Ravenclaw will get us back in the running for the cup," Harry said as he stepped through the portrait hole, just getting back from the showers after a particularly rough practice.

"Yah," Melony said absentmindedly from a table by the fire, staring out at the rainy night.

"What's up?" Harry asked his sister, sitting down across from her. "You've been really quite today."

She shrugged, and continued to stare out the window.

"What's wrong?" Harry pried on. "Come on, tell me."

"Alright," Melony sighed. "I'm just upset because today is Bridget's birthday."

Harry blinked. "It is?"

"Yes," Melony said. "It's her 21st birthday today, and I don't even know if she is okay. I can't even wish her a happy birthday."

"It'll be alright," Harry said. "We don't know that she's hurt."

"But we don't know that she's not," Melony said back, a tear slipping down her face. "For all we know, her, and our aunt and uncle are being tortured as we speak!"

Harry didn't know what to say back to that.

"I'm sorry I'm being such a downer," Melony said, wiping a tear from her face. "It's getting late, I think I'll just go up to bed."

"Er, are you sure?" Harry said.

"I'm sure. I think I just need some sleep. I'll see you tomorrow."

"Oh, okay," Harry said slowly. "Night then."

He watched Melony climb up her dormitory stairs, lost in his own thoughts. He didn't even hear the portrait door swing open.

"Oh, hello Harry," Hermione said, closing the entrance behind her.

"Hello," he replied, turning around to look at her. "Where have you been? It's past curfew."

"I was just talking to professor Vector about something," she said. "Where's Melony?"

"She just went up," Harry said. "She's sort of upset."

"Yes, I've noticed that, but she insisted she was fine when I asked her about it in Ancient Runes today."

"It's Bridget's birthday," Harry explained.

"Bridget? Your older sister."

"Er, right," Harry said. "And Melony is feeling bad because she doesn't even know where she is."

"That must feel terrible." Hermione said understandingly.

Harry nodded.

"And you're upset about that too?" Hermione asked.

"Well, yes, of course I am," Harry answered. "But that's actually not the only thing bothering me."

"What else is?"

Harry sighed. "I don't know anything about them," he said. "My sister, and other aunt and uncle and cousins. I didn't even know that it was Bridget's birthday today. What kind of brother doesn't know when his own sister's birthday is?"

"Well Harry, you just found out about all of them a few months ago," she said soothingly. "I'm sure overtime you'll catch up."

"How am I supposed to make up 12 lost years?" Harry exclaimed. "I haven't even met my aunt and uncle and cousins yet! Maybe they'll all hate me!"

"Oh, Harry," Hermione said, pulling him into an embrace. "You're being silly. They're your family!"

"Yah, me and the Dursley's are family," Harry said, as they pulled apart. "And look how close we all are."

"Do you really think that your father's sister will be as bad as the Dursley's?" Hermione asked. "The way Melony talks about them, they seem great!"

"Well, I may not get to ever meet my aunt and uncle," Harry said. "Or see Bridget again. Black's got them, and we all know what he's capable of."

"They'll find him," she said firmly. "The whole Ministry is looking for him. They'll catch him."

Harry shook his head. "Black's the first man to escape from Azkaban, Hermione, hiding from the Ministry is probably just one big laugh to him."

"Harry-" Hermione started, but Harry cut her off.

"I need to get to bed," Harry said, standing up. "Wood hinted at practice he might call an early meeting to discuss tactics."

"Okay," Hermione said. "That's just as well. I have a 600 word essay due tomorrow on the social habits of West British Muggles due tomorrow, and I've barely started it."

"Hermione, how are you getting to all your classes?" Harry blurted out.

"Oh, well, like I've been saying, hard work and focus," she replied, not looking him in the eyes.

"Yes but half your classes overlap! You're good, Hermione, but nobody can be in two places at once."

"Of course I'm not in two places at once," Hermione said, unrolling a roll of parchment. "Now if you don't mind, I really need to start on this essay."

Accepting that no more would be said on the subject, Harry bid her good night, and headed up to his bed. When he arrived there, everyone else was already fast asleep. Harry quietly changed into his pajamas, and climbed underneath the covers.


	20. Chapter 20

The day of the Ravenclaw vs. Gryffindor match had arrived. At the Gryffindor table in the Great Hall, Wood was pushing the team to eat the heaps of scramble eggs and mountains of toast he piled onto everyone's plates.

"Good conditions today," Wood said, not eating anything off his own plate. "Melony, you'll be out in the beginning. Fred, George, make sure you keep the bludgers away from our team; we don't want to have anything stopping us from scoring. Harry, remember, don't catch the Snitch until I give you the signal. If you catch it before we're up by the margin, we'll be out of the running."

"Oliver, we've heard this about a hundred times," Fred said, though looking slightly nervous himself. "We've been practicing so much; we've got this game in the bag."

"Let's hope so," Wood said.

The school began herding out to the Quidditch pitch to watch the match. The team silently made their way to the locker room.

"You've got your wand?" Melony whispered to Harry as they pulled on their scarlet robes.

"Yah," Harry nodded. "You got yours?"

Melony patted her sleeve. "Yup."

The twins were both determined not to let their dementor problem ruin their teams' chances at the Cup; they just hoped their patronuses were strong enough to hold a dementor off for just a little bit until they got to the ground.

"All right team," Oliver said to his players after they all were dressed in their robes. "We've practiced and practiced for this. We can win this, I know we can!" he said this more confidently than he looked.

Without another word, the team walked onto the Quiditch pitch, where the Ravenclaw team, in their bright blue robes, were already waiting. Melony wished her team good luck, and took a seat on the team bench.

Wood shook hands with the Ravenclaw captain, then Madam Hooch blew her whistle, and the match began. It looked like all of Wood's late night practices had paid off, for the Gryffindor team was doing excellent. Angelina scored two goals in the first five minutes, giving them a small lead. Wood was blocking shots left and right, and Fred and George sent so many bludgers shooting towards the other team it was a wonder they could fly at all. Melony watched Harry as he tried to stay out of the way of the rest of the match until they were up enough points.

As the game progressed, Gryffindor continued to dominate the field. Ravenclaw did, however, manage to get two goals past Wood, but they still held the lead. Wood called for a time out about thirty minutes into the game, and Melony went into the game for Katie, who had a bludger crash into her hand right after she scored a goal.

Melony and Alicia each scored two goals apiece, giving Gyffindor the needed margin to qualify for the Quidditch Cup. Melony saw Wood signal Harry that he needed to catch the Snitch now, but then something else below her caught her eye. Two hooded figures glided onto the field, earning many gasps from the watching crowd. Melony was about to draw out her wand but saw that Harry had beaten her to it. He sent out a small silver shield from his wand, sending the dementors toppling, and a second later, had the Snitch in his hand. The game was over. They had won!

Cheers erupted from the Gryffindor side. "Brilliant!" Wood roared, running over to Harry, who still had the Snitch in his gloved had. "Brilliant catch! We've won!"

"We play for the Cup!" Katie bell cheered, still clutching her injured arm.

"Nice Patronus," Melony whispered to Harry. "But look." She pointed over to where the dementors had fallen. But from under the black hoods appeared the faces of Malfoy, Crabbe, Goyle, and Marcus Flint. Professor McGonagall, who looked positively frightening, was scolding them all.

"Worst sportsman ship I have ever seen!" Harry and Melony heard her say. "You wait until I tell Professor Snape about this! You all have detentions and fifty points will be taken from Slytherin!"

Harry grinned at his sister. "That was bloody perfect."

Still in high spirits, headed back up to the castle. Ron was waiting for them by entrance.

"Great match," he congratulated them. "Can't believe you did a patronus, Harry! The dementors didn't even affect you or anything."

Harry and Melony were explaining to Ron about how the dementors weren't really real, when they came across Hermione.

"Hello," Melony and Harry greeted her. Ron simply stood silent.

Hermione's face seemed tear-stained, and her eyes were red.

"Are you alright?" Harry asked her.

Hermione pulled out a piece of parchment from her pocket. "It's from Hagrid. Buckbeak lost his trial."

"What?" Ron exclaimed, seeming to forget the fact that him and Hermione weren't speaking. "But-but Buckbeak's innocent!"

"I know," Hermione nodded, also setting aside her argument with Ron. "But like Hagrid said, Lucius Malfoy has a lot of power in the Ministry; I suspect he blackmailed or bribed everyone he needed to."

"And we didn't even help Hagrid prepare," Melony said sadly. "Oh, and we promised."

"Well, I gathered a bit from the library on my own," Hermione said lightly. "But I suspect even if we had all given Hagrid a ton of evidence supporting Buckbeak, he still would've lost."

"But there's got to be an appeal," Ron said quickly. "Come on, let's go ask Hagrid about it!"

Without a word, all four ran to Hagrid's hut. Buckbeak was tied to his usual post in the pumpkin patch, but he seemed to sense something was wrong, for his wings were slumped and there was no shine in his eyes.

Harry knocked on the door, and a second later, Hagrid appeared, still wearing a very hairy suit.

"Oh, it's you lot," he said in a scratchy voice. "Come in, come in."

"We just got your letter," Hermione said softly. "It's terrible."

"Didn't stand a chance against Malfoy," Hagrid said simply, trying to hold back tears. "I went up, said Buckbeak was a good Hippogriff, always behaved. Said he didn't mean to hurt Malfoy's son, but he was provoked. I tried to remember everything about the cases yer gave me, Hermione, but I was so nervous I messed up all sorts of names. 'Nd then Malfoy went up, nd well, he's mighty good at getting what he wants nd all…"

"But-but the appeal," Ron said. "There is one, right? There has to be!"

"Yah, there's going to be on," Hagrid sighed. "Sometime in June. But it's no use. Malfoy can just blackmail everyone again."

At this point, he broke down completely, his cries shaking the hut.

"You can't just give up, Hagrid," Melony told him. "We'll all help you prepare for the appeal this time, not just Hermione. Maybe the four of us can manage to get you an airtight case."

"Malfoy can't get away with this," Harry said firmly. "Don't worry about it Hagrid."

Hagrid blew his nose loudly in a large spotted handkerchief.

"Means a lot to me and Beacky," he said. "Maybe yer right, maybe we can win it this time around."

Harry, Ron, Hermione and Melony stayed with Hagrid until lunchtime, and them made their way to the castle.

"I simply can't believe the Ministry," Hermione said as they walked through the grounds. "Buckbeak is clearly innocent!"

"Yah, but Malfoy got them all in the palm of his hand," Ron said grimly. "Don't you remember last year when he managed to convince the governors to suspend Dumbledore?"

"Do you really think Hagrid has a chance?" Harry asked quietly.

"Well, if it was a _fair_ trial he would definitely get off," Melony said. "But, see as how things have gone so far…"

She didn't have to finish her sentence for the others to know what she was going to say. They all knew the extent of leverage Malfoy had in the Ministry…

For the remainder of the weekend, the four tried to gather as much information for Buckbeak's appeal as they could manage between their heaps of homework. It wasn't too bad, for Hermione and Ron had put their argument behind them, and were now being friendly to each other.

"Here's something!" Ron said, reading out of a large leather bound book from the library. "In 1723 a Hippogriff was put on trial for attacking its owner's neighbor… oh never mind, they killed it."

"Oh!" Hermione exclaimed. "Look what they did to this one! It's inhumane!"

"I can't even find one case where the Hippogriff survived," Melony said, closing the book she was looking in.

"It's nearly midnight," Ron said, looking at his watch. "We've been at this for five hours."

The others sighed, and closed their books. They were tired, and seeing as they all had lessons tomorrow, they agreed to continue their research tomorrow evening.

Melony didn't sleep soundly that night. Images of headless Hippogriffs and sobbing Hagrid's kept appearing in her dreams. When morning came at last, she was drowsy and even more upset about Hagrid's situation.

"Wish we didn't have McGonagall first thing this morning," Melony yawned as she pulled on her robes. "I don't think I'm going to be able to follow anything she says today."

"Maybe you'll feel better after you've had some breakfast," Hermione said sympathetically. She also had bags under her eyes, but she had spent so many nights working on her large amounts of homework, that Melony was used to seeing them.

Melony opened her trunk and began rummaging around it, trying to find socks, when she came across the necklace she had received for Christmas; the one that belonged to her mother. She hadn't worn the necklace yet. Melony picked it up and looked at. It was more beautiful than she remembered. Gingerly, Melony put it on around her neck.

"You're going to wear it?" Hermione asked, spotting it around Melony's neck.

"Yes," Melony nodded.

"You've never worn it before, have you?"

She shook her head. "Nah. But I was thinking, you know, it belonged to my mum, it deserves to be worn, not stuck in my trunk forever."

Hermione smiled. "It looks nice."

…..

The day seemed to drag on to Melony. For the first time all year, she was actually anxious to get to Potions, her last class of the day, just so the day would be over.

Snape sent them off to work on a boil-removing potion, which was tricky and complex. As he always did, Snape walked among the class, sneering insults at the Gryffindor students, while nodding approvingly at the Slytherins. He had just finished snapping at Ron and Harry that their potion was too runny and murky, when he turned to Melony's cauldron. Melony was fully prepared to have Snape tell her that her potion was terrible as well; she had added to many oak leaves and had boiled it for three minutes too long. However, Snape didn't say anything. He looked at Melony's necklace, and walked back to his desk.

Melony frowned, looking down at her necklace. _What was that about?_ She wondered to herself. Harry and Ron were too busy trying to stop their cauldrons from boiling over to have noticed Snape's odd behavior.

Melony looked back up at Snape, who had gotten up from his desk, and was now placing jars of ingredients back on his shelf, his back turned to the class, as he had been sure to never do in a lesson before.


End file.
